Ofcom Approach to Costs Under the Broadband USO - Which? response

Which? welcomes the opportunity to reply to Ofcom’s consultation on the approach to high excess costs under the broadband universal service. We believe that the broadband universal service obligation (USO) is an important safety net to ensure that all UK consumers have access to decent connections and are able to participate in our increasingly digital society.

As the UK’s consumer champion, we are interested in the proposals set out by Ofcom related to those USO connections where excess costs are high. BT must seek to avoid unnecessary delays when installing USO connections above the £5,000 excess cost threshold and ensure that consumers eligible for the USO are able to receive these connections as quickly as possible so they can benefit from decent connectivity.

Which? also welcomes the ongoing work by Ofcom, the Government and industry to improve connectivity in very hard to reach areas. We believe it is important that consumers living in these areas have access to good quality connections which meet their needs. We make six recommendations below.