Resources for communications network providers

The government recognises the challenges communications network providers face in deploying digital infrastructure and has created the Barrier Busting Task Force (BBTF) to work with industry, local authorities and landowners to identify and remove barriers to deployment, including changes to the law.

This section provides guidance for providers on working collaboratively with local authorities, land owners, and property developers, and adopting best practice within the current legal framework.

Working with local authorities

This section contains practical advice for working with local authorities, including identifying a single point of contact, early engagement, and opportunities to communicate the benefits of enhanced connectivity.

Working with property developers

Network providers and developers need to work together, share information early and establish best practice principles to deliver high quality connectivity consumers need. Early engagement, coordinated planning and good communication can enable smoother deployment.

Legislation and regulation

Operators are encouraged to understand how the new Electronic Communications Code (the ‘Code’) affects their deployment; and to take note of the guidance and code of practice developed by Ofcom.

• Digital Connectivity Portal guidance on the Code
• Ofcom guidance on the Code
• UK Subsidy Information Page

Deployment

Operators are encouraged to cooperate with local authorities and developers in accordance with best practices around access agreements and street works.

• Access to public sector assets
• Guidance on access agreements
• Digital Infrastructure Toolkit
• Street Works Toolkit

Climate and Sustainability

BDUK has prepared an environmental resource guide to support the rollout of digital infrastructure in England. This aims to provide greater awareness of climate adaptation, environmental improvements (biodiversity gains), and low carbon considerations. The guide has direct relevance across the UK, and can help in delivering BDUK funded projects, as well as commercial rollout. We encourage regular use of this, and regular checks of the latest environmental provisions in your local area.

This guide also complements the collaborative action by large connectivity providers and Digital Connectivity Forum in July 2023, to reduce supply chain carbon emissions.

Project Gigabit

Project Gigabit

Executive summary

BDUK is undertaking a series of activities seeking information from operators of wholesale broadband networks and supply chain partners regarding the proposed procurement approach for delivering gigabit capable broadband to the UK.

About Project Gigabit

The government wants to deliver nationwide coverage of gigabit-capable broadband as soon as possible and is confident that the private sector will deliver gigabit connectivity to the most commercial 80% of the country by 2025. We are backing Project Gigabit with £5 billion so hard to reach communities are not left out of this revolution in connectivity.

The proposed approach builds on lessons learnt from the Superfast programme and includes a number of measures to maximise competition, promote open access networks, and encourage long term competition and value for money on the network.

Technical consultation

During December 2020 and January 2021, we asked for views from network providers and local authorities to help us target delivery of the UK Gigabit Programme, which includes demand-led approaches such as Gigabit Broadband Vouchers and the new “outside in” supply-side interventions.

The Planning for Gigabit document was a technical consultation to gather the views of broadband delivery leads in local authorities and telecoms providers interested in bidding for subsidy to deliver gigabit capability throughout the UK. The feedback we received has helped us to refine our programme to maximise coverage in the harder to reach 20% of the UK by 2025.

We also ran a series of market engagement events with network providers during 2020 and 2021.

Planning for Gigabit Delivery in 2021

PDF, 3.41 MB, 30 pages

Project Gigabit Delivery Plan

Following constructive and positive feedback to the paper from 96 organisations across the telecoms industry and local government, the Project Gigabit Phase One Delivery Plan builds on the December 2020 proposals and the responses we have received and sets out our immediate delivery plans.

The Project Gigabit Delivery Plan - summer update sets out a proposed procurement pipeline for phases 1 and 2 with modelled premises numbers, multi-million pound investments and target timelines to reach communities from Northumberland to Cornwall that would otherwise be left behind.

The Project Gigabit Delivery Plan - autumn update reports on progress with Phase 1 roll-outs and Phase 2 procurements as well as the sequencing and dates of English Phase 3 rural projects.

The Project Gigabit Delivery Plan - winter update shares details of the Project Gigabit contract bidding process for broadband companies to connect over 126,000 premises across North East England, Cambridgeshire, Dorset, North Northumberland and Teesdale. The contracts on offer would see the government invest up to £183 million to upgrade rural homes and businesses.

We also report on the ongoing commercial investment in full fibre networks fuelling announcements of build plans in more and more towns across the UK; and plans to establish BDUK as an Executive Agency of the DCMS.

If you are a broadband network provider and would like more information please contact bduksuppliers@dcms.gov.uk.

Open market reviews

Building Digital UK and its local authority partners will be asking broadband network builders about their existing or planned commercial gigabit capable broadband in hard to reach areas identified for potential government subsidy. Each open market review will take place over a specified time period and will either originate or be replicated on the corresponding county council’s broadband web pages. These reviews are not open to the public.

See all open market reviews.

Public reviews

Building Digital UK will be seeking views from the public and other stakeholders with regard to existing or planned commercial gigabit capable broadband in areas open for public review. All areas currently open for public review can be found on the UK Gigabit Programme: public reviews page. Each public review will take place over a specified time period and will be replicated on the corresponding county council’s broadband web pages.

Supplier feedback

As part of the ongoing market engagement for procurement programmes within the Gigabit Infrastructure Subsidy Scheme, we are asking all suppliers interested in bidding for the Gigabit Infrastructure Subsidy Scheme Feedback - Lot 3.01 (Peak District) Intervention Area to provide feedback on the UPRN data and map.

If you would like to request this data pack for feedback please contact: bduksuppliers@dcms.gov.uk.

Please note:

BDUK reserves the right not to proceed to tender for this Intervention Area. This market engagement activity is not a commitment from BDUK to launch a competition.

Should BDUK make the decision to proceed to tender, this will be published utilising the Find a Tender site to publish tendering opportunities which will then be run through Atamis.

Gigabit Infrastructure Subsidy Dynamic Purchasing System

As part of Project Gigabit, the Gigabit Infrastructure Subsidy dynamic purchasing system (DPS) is available for supplier registration and application.

Access to the qualification documentation and supporting information is available through our e-sourcing portal Atamis.

If you have not yet registered on the portal, you will need to do so prior to being able to access the documents.

Register now

All application submissions must be made via the e-sourcing portal.

A training guide can be found below.

DPS supplier guide

PDF, 710 KB, 16 pages

All questions relating to the dynamic purchasing system application must be submitted via the portal. Questions submitted through any other means will be redirected to the portal.

Should you have any questions not related to the application please continue to direct these to the BDUKSuppliers@dcms.gov.uk inbox.

Suppliers who wish to participate in the Gigabit Infrastructure Subsidy DPS will be required to respond to a Standard Selection Questionnaire (SQ) to qualify for the DPS.

DPS call-off contracts will vary in terms of number of premises covered and geographic coverage. BDUK currently expects the average call-off contract size to be around 1,000 to 8,000 premises. The focus will be on interventions in the final 20% (f20) premises in the UK that are not commercially viable for the market to build without government intervention.

A supplier user guide to provide assistance on the e-tendering system, can be found below:

BDUK Atamis e-tendering system Supplier user guide.

Market engagement

BDUK has held a series of market engagement events about the developing procurement strategy for the programme.

Market engagement events are held regularly. Slide decks from each event can be downloaded here:

February 2020: Market engagement presentation

PDF, 1.33 MB, 37 pages

23 June 2020: Market Engagement Event Slide Deck

PDF, 1.62 MB, 41 pages

30 June 2020: Market Engagement Event Slide Deck

PDF, 2.15 MB, 49 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@dcms.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

January 2021: Outside In Programme: Very Large Frameworks (Type C)

PDF, 442 KB, 15 pages

Future engagement events

There are none currently planned. Please email bduksuppliers@dcms.gov.uk if you wish to be added to our contact lists for future engagement events.

GigaHubs

There is up to £110 million available to connect public sector buildings - such as GP surgeries, libraries and schools - in hard to reach parts of the UK.

For more information, see GigaHubs: key information.

Gigabit Vouchers

The Government is providing up to £210m worth of voucher funding as immediate help for people experiencing slow broadband speeds in rural areas. Vouchers worth up to £4,500 for homes and businesses help to cover the costs of installing gigabit broadband to people’s doorsteps.

For more information, see Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme.

Building Digital UK Research Portal

Evaluation and Analysis teams at BDUK provide research to support and improve the design and development of commercial delivery programmes to ensure that all homes and businesses can get fast, reliable broadband. The team includes data analysts, modellers, social researchers, economists and designers, and research studies here are the results of both in-house and externally commissioned research.

For more information, see Building Digital UK Research Portal