Timeline & Strategy
This area includes some of the key supporting documents for the programme and details of the latest 'Project Gigabit' strategy being used by DCMS for the next phase of digital infrastructure funding.
- Digital Infrastructure Strategy - this sets out how the programme will continue to improve both fixed and mobile digital connectivity in collaboration with partners, suppliers, & central government
- Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) - The aim of this agreement is to advance the rollout of digital infrastructure by way of facilitating commercial operators to access public sector assets, ease the process of wayleave and planning applications, and help with all delivery aspects such as accessing highways for laying new fibre.
The ability for residents and businesses to have access to ultrafast broadband connectivity is a central policy objective of both the county council and central government. The infrastructure currently providing connectivity is based predominantly on telephone wires that were installed over a century ago and are not fit for the huge increase in digital traffic today. Openreach is planning to switch off the existing copper wire telephony service from 2025 which means new fibre infrastructure is needed to be built to over 30m homes across the UK. Work is underway by Commercial operators to upgrading their infrastructure across Oxfordshire to ensure areas are not left behind on ancient infrastructure. Digital Infrastructure is important to secure economic growth and sustainability of employment whilst reducing the need for travel. It is also a significant enabler for reduced carbon emissions as a tool for meeting our carbon-neutral targets.
For reasons of cost, let alone preserving the natural environment, Telecoms Operators re-use existing infrastructure wherever possible. Most will always use existing Openreach ducts or existing poles, to avoid the high cost of civils works associated with building new ones. Where this is not possible (for example the existing telephone wires are just buried cables, or the duct is collapsed and damaged beyond repair), then alternative delivery mechanisms are considered. Such alternatives include extensive civils works to the highway or verge in which new duct is installed, or standing new telegraph poles on which the fibre may be hung. Telecoms Operators are granted Code powers by Ofcom which entitle them to, inter alia, “…install and maintain apparatus on, under, or above land…”