Strengthen Global Competitiveness
Broadband Deployment – UK must continue to roll-out broadband infrastructure to all addresses, making full use of all available technologies and enabling local or specialist providers to compete on a best-value, technology-neutral basis. Meanwhile, in looking to the future, Government should be aware that much of the ‘original two thirds’ is not served by a robust, fully future-proofed infrastructure. FCS BROADBAND POSITION
Spectrum Availability –Innovative, next-generation wireless devices, applications, and services require spectrum availability for fixed and mobile broadband use; this can be achieved through further reallocations of state-owned spectrum, flexible regulations, and rapid implementation of voluntary incentive auctions. FCS SPECTRUM POSITION
Mobile Telephony: The current regulatory framework for mobile telephony in the UK (and throughout Europe) does not deliver free and competitive markets. Rather, it perpetuates a complex monopoly situation where a handful of Mobile Network Operators (currently four in the UK) control all the operating spectrum and all the local mast sites. In practice, many consumers have no real choice of provider, because their choice is restricted to those operators who have adequate signal strength in their local area. FCS MOBILE TELEPHONY POSITION