10 Feb 2022

5G and fixed infrastructure gets a boost: DCIA winners

Eight winning projects will receive a share from the £4 million Digital Connectivity Infrastructure Accelerator (DCIA) to explore how digital software can help simplify local authority processes when telecoms operators request access to publicly-owned buildings and curbside infrastructure.

Aiming to tackle the densification challenge for the rollout of 5G (small cells deployed in greater numbers than 4G rollout), DCIA was established to explore the possibility of increasing the visibility and viability of using street furniture at a local level for accelerating mobile deployment.

In response, the government will invest in piloting the latest innovations in digital asset management platforms. This software will enable local councils to more easily share data mobile companies need to accelerate their roll out plans and deliver the revolutionary benefits of 4G and 5G to people and businesses.

The project means communities in 44 local authority areas can expect to benefit and if successful, the technology could be rolled out to local authorities across the UK. The project winners are based across England and Scotland, including Angus, Dundee, Fife, Perth and Kinross in Scotland, as well as Tyneside, Sunderland, Dudley, Wolverhampton, Somerset, Dorset and several other areas across England.

Launched last September, the DCIA project collaborates closely with other government programmes, such as the National Underground Asset Register, to ensure alignment of data models and coordination of stakeholder engagement. DCMS and the Department for Transport were jointly given £7m to fund the DCIA programme as part of HM Treasury’s Shared Outcomes Fund.

You can see the full list of winners here.

Improving broadband for Very Hard to Reach premises

Government has also published its response to a call for views on connecting the ‘Very Hard to Reach’ premises across the UK, estimated to be less than 100,000 in total, where the cost of delivering gigabit-capable broadband coverage rises exponentially (as DCMS looks to deliver Project Gigabit targets by 2025).

The purpose of its 2021 call for evidence, was to develop government understanding of VHTR areas and seek more information on:

Demand: Consumer and business demand for broadband services in Very Hard to Reach areas, including information on current provision and adoption patterns by consumers and businesses in these areas, including businesses in the agricultural sector.
Benefits: Further evidence on the benefits that delivering enhanced broadband services to Very Hard to Reach areas yields, including social, environmental or economic benefits.
Barriers: Evidence of barriers to user adoption (other than services being unavailable in an area), and evidence relating to barriers that may impede infrastructure operators and service providers from offering improved broadband services in these areas. Evidence could also relate to barriers to investment (for parties providing finance for such investments).
Approaches: Evidence relating to the availability, maturity, capabilities and costs of advanced technologies and novel approaches to provide connectivity in Very Hard to Reach areas, either within the UK or from overseas.

The response details a number of interesting use cases in the above sections. techUK's response to the call for evidence covered Barriers and Approaches – and government says it has found:

Barriers

Several significant barriers to better broadband connectivity remain for both businesses and consumers in remote rural areas, leaving them with fewer choices and slower speeds than their urban and suburban counterparts.
While FTTP remains the preferred technology choice, less than half of businesses and consumers were aware of the government’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme. However, businesses and consumers are willing to try alternatives to fixed connectivity where available.
When taking out a new service, responding businesses and consumers are willing to pay slightly more to see a doubling of their broadband speeds and increased reliability.
Respondents noted that even improved connectivity may not be enough to encourage uptake of faster speeds. Access to improved connectivity needs to be matched with better access to digital skills to allow consumers and businesses to make the most of their improved connectivity.
Satellite and FWA providers noted that equipment costs and access to spectrum remained the biggest barriers they faced.

Approaches

FTTP providers are able to deliver the highest average peak speed of any technology type, while satellites are able to deliver just below 100 Mbps.
Telecommunication equipment vendors showed that there was a demand for alternative technology types in addressing Very Hard to Reach premises in the UK - although negative perceptions do persist.
Satellite providers continue to rollout provision to UK consumers, with many increasing their capacity over the next 12 - 24 months.
Market participants were encouraged that new technologies and physical infrastructure access (PIA) products could reduce capital costs — which could be combined with technologies requiring limited future intervention to ensure reliability and a positive user experience further reducing operational costs.
Respondents note that there are a number of different ways to deliver improved connectivity but that inexperience of providers in identifying rural challenges can be a detriment.

Government will now work on its policy proposals for connecting the Very Hard to Reach premises across the UK.

Project Gigabit – Winter update, February 2022

Finally, DCMS has published an update on the wider Project Gigabit delivery plan. Key points:

Currently 16 local and devolved authorities have live schemes worth £10.5m to top-up voucher projects.
DCMS has launched new Regional Supplier procurements in Cambridgeshire and the North East of England, as well as Local Supplier procurements in rural Dorset, North Northumberland and Teesdale.
The department is consulting with the market about the details of upcoming procurements in Cornwall, Norfolk, Suffolk, Hampshire and Shropshire.
BDUK is expected to become an Executive Agency of DCMS from April 2022, with more operational autonomy to focus on Project Gigabit as well as the £1bn Shared Rural Network.

techUK's Telecoms Infrastructure and Deployment Working Group was recently joined by the BDUK team – if members are interested in telecoms rollout, get involved:

Jaynesh Patel

Head of Telecoms and Spectrum Policy, techUK

Josh Turpin

Programme Manager, Telecoms and Net Zero, techUK

Matthew Wild

Programme Assistant - Markets, techUK

Tales Gaspar

Programme Manager, UK SPF and Satellite, techUK

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