The UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (“DSIT“) has published its draft Statement of Strategic Priorities (“SSP“) to be issued to the UK regulator Ofcom, covering telecommunications, radio spectrum, and postal services. The SSP follows a public consultation held last year. The five strategic priorities outlined in the SSP are largely unchanged since following the consultation (our earlier article on the consultation can be found here), but have been refined and clarified in response:
1. Digital infrastructure
The SSP reaffirms the target of nationwide gigabit coverage by 2032 and ongoing support for network competition. Key additions include: embedding the “fair-bet” principle to ensure investors in critical infrastructure can achieve returns commensurate with risk; requiring Ofcom to monitor market consolidation; managing copper switch-off’s impact on critical national infrastructure; and continuing to promote competition in the leased lines market.
2. Transparent and competitive retail markets
There remains an emphasis that consumers should remain at the heart of Ofcom’s work. The SSP also adds emphasis on the importance of the telecoms market delivering affordable services that meet the needs of all consumers, including the most vulnerable, and adds that vulnerabilities in telecoms networks impacting consumers include fraud.
3. Maximising spectrum access
DSIT has maintained its focus on enhanced spectrum sharing to maximise efficiency, acknowledging stakeholder calls for greater use of AI-driven spectrum management and both licensed and unlicensed approaches. Satellite communications, including direct-to-device services, is also recognised including the importance of safety-of-life services in spectrum allocation decisions and the need to maximise influence in international spectrum negotiations. The SSP also reconfirms the government’s intention to assess spectrum needs for the transport and utility sectors by end of 2026.
4. Secure and resilient infrastructure
Several respondents to the consultation raised concerns about power resilience, particularly the prioritisation of restoring services in the event of a power outage. In this context, DSIT refers to resilience obligations under the Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021. DSIT also mentions it continues to welcome Ofcom’s work on power resilience in the telecoms sector and in particular Ofcom’s review of resilience among mobile operators.
5. Sustainable postal services
DSIT’s postal policy priority remains to provide a universal postal service with the SSP updated to encourage Ofcom to continue to engage with groups, such as consumer advocacy and business representative bodies, on issues likely to affect users of postal services, reflecting stakeholder views on the importance of broad engagement in Ofcom’s regulatory decisions.
What next?
DSIT has presented the draft SSP to Parliament. Unless rejected, the SSP will be designated and become final, at which point Ofcom must have regard to these priorities when making regulatory decisions.
For further information, please contact:
Rory Coutts, Bird & Bird
rory.coutts@twobirds.com
