Policy Hub

How to back better broadband

The changes we need

Deploy Flexi permit trials to deliver a more efficient build

Address access issues to prevent a new digital divide

Reform the Apprenticeship levy for our changing training needs

Flexi permits video transcript

Every year, Openreach applies for hundreds of thousands of permits to work in every part of the country. And as we ramp up our build to deliver ultrafast, ultra reliable Full Fibre broadband to 25 million homes and businesses, the number of permits we need is expected to double.

The current system is not suited to the type of work we’re doing – which unlike other utilities, is high volume and low duration. Which also means it’s relatively low impact.

Applying for permits creates an admin burden for us, but also for our partners in local authorities, and it slows down our rollout.

Flexi permits offer an alternative solution. They allow for multiple streets to be permitted at once, cutting processing times for local authorities and reducing our permitting requirements by as much as 90% in some cases.

The Department for Transport has agreed to undertake a set of trials, which we are supporting and are keen to see this policy implemented as soon as possible, so that more homes and businesses can be connected.
Prevent a new digital divide video transcript

Across the UK there are thousands of multi-dwelling units. These range from blocks of flats, through to houses that have been converted into apartments.

While we are allowed to enter communal areas to repair the copper network, we’re not allowed to upgrade residents to Full Fibre. To do this, we need a wayleave given by the owner of the building, and this isn’t as straightforward as it sounds. Where we can’t secure a wayleave, we are unable to install the fibre into the building.

We estimate that our Full Fibre is currently outside around 801,000* MDUs, most of which are ‘small’, meaning there’s between one and 30 flats within the building.

The government recently introduced a ‘workaround’ called the Telecommunications Infrastructure Leasehold Property Act, or TILPA. But our trials show that this is not working.

In Glasgow we found that it increased the cost of building by 160%, which is money away from upgrading other homes and businesses.

We want to work with government and the wider industry to develop a solution and prevent a future digital divide.

Automatic upgrade rights are the way forward, allowing us to use the same access rights to upgrade flats as we would to repair their broadband.

*Figure updated in November 2023 and does not match the video content.
Apprenticeship Levy video transcript

Every year BT Group pays towards the government’s Apprenticeship Levy, and over the last three years Openreach has used around half of that to hire and train 10,000 apprentices.

We’ve done this in-house, in our 10 purpose built, state of the art training schools, and have worked closely with national bodies to ensure that our courses are developed and delivered to the highest, industry recognised standards.

However, with nearly 30,000 engineers, we now need to focus on reskilling our workforce. This means ensuring our copper engineers can also install and maintain the fibre network. The levy in its current form doesn’t offer the flexibility we need to provide short courses and accreditations to our existing workforce, many of whom will have already secure an apprenticeship and therefore aren’t eligible for a second.

It also doesn’t let us train the next generation of civil engineers who are already highly skilled and highly qualified. Without reform, it will be increasingly challenging to provide our engineers with the skills they need to evolve with the industry.

Delivering the UK's ultrafast broadband future

When faced with limited job opportunities for women on the Isle of Jura, Claire Fletcher decided to take matters into her own hands. She embarked on a journey to establish Lussa Drinks Company, turning her passion for crafting artisanal spirits into a successful business. Despite many challenges, Claire and her team persevered and flourished, thanks in part to Openreach’s Ultrafast Full Fibre broadband.

Transcript

Voiceover:

Britain is a nation of small businesses, of start-ups and entrepreneurs. They are the bedrock of the UK economy. Claire Fletcher is one of these entrepreneurs. She set up laser gin with her neighbours on the Isle of Jura.

Claire Fletcher, Partner, Lussa Drinks Company:

We got together in 2015. Opportunities for work for women on an island with a population of 250 people are really limited. We started in my kitchen with a tiny ten litre still. This is a 200 litre still and then eventually have grown and scaled the business. We've had a couple of challenges over the last few years. It looked like the business might not survive, so to have something that pays the bills that we have control of is, I can't tell you how valuable it is and broadband makes all that possible.

Voiceover:

Businesses like Claire's rely on access to fast internet to grow and to thrive. That's why Openreach is upgrading the UK to ultrafast, reliable full fibre broadband.

Claire Fletcher, Partner, Lussa Drinks Company:

It's been absolutely transformative for us as a small business in a really remote island location. We can't rely on our supply chain, but we can rely on now with Full Fibre, our visitors to the door because we can communicate directly with them. Website sales. Our export supply chain is now worth about 20% of our business. There's definitely been an upturn in our ability to sell as a result of Full Fibre.

Voiceover:

We use broadband in almost every part of our lives and it's transforming our economy.

Robert Beauchamp, Development Economics Associate, Stantec:

It's vital that Britain rolls out Full Fibre to underpin growth, particularly as the British and global economy are only going to become more digitalised and more reliant on good connectivity, particularly in industries like advanced manufacturing or tech. They are going to rely more and more on AI.

Voiceover:

Openreach is committed to delivering the UK's ultrafast broadband future.

Claire Fletcher, Partner, Lussa Drinks Company:

It's allowed us to to continue to grow and to continue to be here to employ people locally. And yeah, we're a significant employer now for the island.

Candidate information pack

For prospective parliamentary candidates who are not currently elected MSPs or MSs, we hope you find this Candidate Information Pack helpful. The pack includes useful contact details for you, residents and businesses; how we can support you during this election campaign; and information on our policy asks to support building our Full Fibre network across the UK.

If you are already an elected MSP or MS, please contact us at public.affairs@openreach.co.uk. Please note this email is only for elected parliamentary members and we are unable to answer queries from prospective candidates.

Driving UK competitiveness

Deliver a secure regulatory and economic environment

To ensure continuous improvements in the UK's digital infrastructure, foster healthy competition, and deliver value to customers, it is crucial to maintain stability in the regulatory environment.

The current regulatory framework, known as the Wholesale Fixed Telecoms Market Review, coupled with policies such as full expensing to support capital investment, have proven successful in achieving these goals.

In 2016, Full Fibre broadband was available to just 2% of the UK, but now 57% can access this technology, rising to 91% by 2026.

It provides a long-term framework for investment that has given Openreach the confidence to make a ‘fair bet’ and invest billions of pounds upfront on the basis that we will retain future earnings, something we do not expect for the next two decades.
Reform the Apprenticeship Levy for a future fit workforce

Thanks to the Apprenticeship Levy, Openreach successfully trained over 10,000 engineers between 2020 and 2023, the country’s largest private employer of apprentices.

As our training needs develop, more flexibility to allow for the upskilling of our workforce is vital.

Greater transparency is also required to better understand how the industry, and the country is investing in apprenticeships and skills more broadly, to help inform and drive a new approach.

Removing the roadblocks to roll-out

Flexible-Permitting to make broadband rollout more efficient

Openreach alone currently applies for 300,000 permits a year to councils across the country to deliver our digital upgrades on a street-by-street basis, and this is set to double as we build to 25 million homes and businesses.

More flexible permitting is supported across the industry and offers a solution that can improve efficiency by around a quarter, reduce permit processing by up to 90% in local authorities and limit the carbon footprint of construction. This model could subsequently be used to support the rollout of on-street electric charging solutions, for example.

This essential reform is cost-neutral and would allow local authorities to divert savings into other pressing areas, while allowing digital infrastructure builders to build further and faster than under the current regime.

We need to next government to enact this change so we can incorporate flexi-permitting into our plans.
Grant automatic upgrade rights

Our 2024 data highlights that we are unable to reach buildings across the UK containing over 990,000 flats. These are homes that are at risk of missing out on upgrades to faster, more reliable broadband due to barriers to access.

These homes are in so-called Multi-Dwelling Units (flats or sub-divided houses) and are at risk of a future ‘digital divide’ if we don't establish automatic upgrade rights.

As it currently stands, Openreach can use our existing access rights (‘wayleaves’) to access communal areas in flats to repair the copper network, but we cannot use those same access rights to upgrade these premises to the latest Full Fibre technology.

With this being a growing issue, we are calling for amendments to existing legislation that would permit the use of existing access rights to upgrade premises to the ultrafast network. This would avoid the risk of tenants missing out on the benefits of Full Fibre if their landlords are difficult to identify with a request for access.

This is a cost-neutral change, which would add to economic growth and is one we believe the next government should make to ensure that people are not left behind.

Support sustainability goals

Accelerate the roll-out of zero emission vehicles

Openreach has committed to decarbonising our 29,000 strong van fleet by 2030 and now needs to see leadership from government to develop a national charging infrastructure and boost supplies of UK-made vehicles.

We have committed to doing our part, installing charge points in our engineers’ homes and at key strategic locations, but need a UK-wide network of interoperable and well-maintained charging points within easy reach for all drivers, across all communities.

We want to champion UK business and back calls for further support that allows van manufacturers to refit their plants to deliver electric vehicles.

Our publications and resources

To read all of our latest blogs, please click here

Openreach engineer greeting customer at their doorstep

Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) Report

The latest research conducted by CEBR highlights the economic impact of the Full Fibre rollout. It reveals that this initiative has the potential to contribute up to £72 billion to the UK economy, and help over 530,000 individuals back into work.

Download the full publication

Full Fibre productivity

The latest research undertaken by Be The Business on behalf of Openreach outlines the value of Full Fibre for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs). The report sets out how nationwide Full Fibre broadband can unlock productivity growth in SMEs and myth busts common assumptions around broadband connectivity.

Download the full publication

Openreach engineers showing diversity of teams

Everyone’s welcome at Openreach

Openreach is made up of 37,000 unique minds, varied vaults of experience each wonderfully different from the last, united by our mission to deliver Full Fibre to 25 million homes. We want to do more to ensure that our company, and our customers, benefit from the widest possible range of perspectives.

Explore how we are tackling diversity

Several blocks of apartment buildings with windows

Bridging the digital divide

In the UK, there are over 800,000 Multi Dwelling Units (flats) that we currently cannot access. While we can enter these properties to fix copper network issues as permitted by law, upgrading to Full Fibre requires separate permission from the landlord, which is challenging to obtain.

Two Openreach male engineers smiling at each other

Navigating Scotland’s nuances to deliver better broadband

Scotland excels in industries such as energy, life sciences, technology, and the digital elements of creative industries. But growth in these key sectors is underpinned by reliable broadband connections. Delve into how we are bringing reliable broadband to Scotland.

Discover how we are delivering better broadband for Scotland

Fibre opportunity for rural areas in the UK

In our modern world, better connectivity can be vital in ensuring the sustainability of rural life across the UK. As we know the importance of rural connectivity, explore how we are working to bring Full Fibre to the most rural parts of the UK.

Explore how we are tackling the rural broadband challenge

Two Openreach vans parked outside in the sunshine

A greener future

Our mission – to build Full Fibre – will create a more sustainable communications network: more energy efficient, more reliable, and an integral part of a greener economy that is fit for the future. Discover how we aim to build and maintain our network sustainably.

Read about our sustainability efforts

Our record in Wales

Wales is a leader in technological innovation with several growing sectors, and as we continue to build across the nation, we know that our Openreach network is key to achieving a stronger, fairer, greener Wales.

Read about our build in Wales

Meet our team

Miles Evans

Head of External Affairs, UK

Grace O’Keeffe

Public Affairs Manager

Michael Salter-Church MBE

Director of External Affairs, Policy & Sustainability

Denise Westbury-Haines