As modern life moves increasingly online, infrastructure priorities inevitably change. In the late 20th century connectivity was all about roads and air routes; in the 21st century one could argue that broadband has overtaken both of these in terms of importance. In today’s digital world it is broadband that keeps people and communities connected and allows our businesses to operate nationally and globally as never before; in tomorrow’s world it will provide opportunities we cannot yet even dream of.
READ MORE: Overhaul of BT Openreach 'can't come soon enough' says Ofcom
All these opportunities will only be available now and in the future, of course, if there are superfast networks to support them, and therein lies the rub: the current broadband infrastructure is simply not good enough. Many of us have anecdotes that can attest to this, but importantly that’s also the view of Ofcom. Following a series of complaints, the media regulator carried out a major investigation of BT Openreach – a part of BT – which owns the fibre and copper wires that takes broadband into almost all our homes and businesses.
Ofcom was not impressed by what it found: a division starved of investment, providing poor customer service to many. All this also means the UK is lagging behind many other countries in terms of speed, with only 2 per cent of areas receiving ultrafast broadband via fibre-optic lines, compared to 40-50 per cent in Spain and Portugal, and 60-70 per cent in Japan and South Korea.
In response, Ofcom has ordered BT to give more independence and investment to its broadband division, decreeing Openreach should be run as a separate company within the BT group, with its own board, chairman and branding. This course of action, believes Ofcom, will result in more investment and improved services within months.
Many, including broadband competitors such as Sky, Vodaphone and Talk Talk, are sorely disappointed with this proposal, however. They wanted Openreach sold off from BT completely in order to level the playing field.
READ MORE: Overhaul of BT Openreach 'can't come soon enough' says Ofcom
Would a complete sell-off have been better? Quite possibly; allowing BT a monopoly on broadband has arguably made the company complacent. However, a sell-off would almost certainly have resulted in lengthy legal battles and pension issues that could have stalled improvements for years.
And surely the most important thing is ensuring as many of us as possible get access to broadband speeds that will allow us to augment our digital lives with business and social opportunities that have the potential to make Scotland and the UK a happier, more productive and successful place.
And nowhere is this more important than in Scotland’s rural communities, in the Highland and Islands, where the digital world offers many communities a lifeline, both socially and economically, providing connectivity and employment opportunities that could not have existed even five years ago.
READ MORE: Overhaul of BT Openreach 'can't come soon enough' says Ofcom
Make no mistake, BT Outreach has been given a serious censure which is wholly deserved. It must now act quickly to improve its performance across the board. If it does not, Ofcom should be prepared to step in and revisit its decision not to sell off the company. Our collective digital future must not be left behind by poor service.
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