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USO Questions

pompey1898 — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 14:46:26 GMT

Hi,

I have often read about the USO. Can you confirm that Openreach are obliged to provide a phone line to 12 new houses about to be built in my village please ? Are there any other obligations, or provisions, e.g. copper/fibre or internal broadband cabling please ?

TIA

Re: USO Questions

gg30340 — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 14:57:47 GMT

See links

Universal Service Obligation (USO) for Broadband (bt.com)

Your right to request a decent broadband service: What you need to know - Ofcom

I'm sure if you do an Internet search you will find out more information if you need it.

Re: USO Questions

-Richie- — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 15:04:56 GMT

The USO is to give you the right to 'request' faster broadband, by faster it's 10 mbps download with other requirements including cost and usage, A survey is done to give a quote with the first £3,600 subsidised.

If the requirement can be met by mobile broadband like 4G then that would be the USO requirement met.

Re: USO Questions

iniltous — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 16:20:24 GMT

There is a USO for telephony , anyone can ask , and provided it a reasonable request ( taken to mean construction costs won’t exceed £3400) then service will be provided and if the construction cost is greater than £3400 then the customer pays the excess.
Broadband USO is a minimum download speed as as right ( 10Mb download ) but doesn’t have to be ‘landline’ , if the costs to provide landline based broadband that delivers 10Mb or better were excessive and the area had a good mobile signal that would deliver 10Mb+ , then the broadband USO is satisfied by that.

If it’s a development of 12 property’s then this is all a little moot, as ( assuming they are all part of the same development) if the developers have contacted OR then the USO doesn’t really apply , chances are FTTP will be provided as it’s now the standard provision medium, …those that fall under USO provisions are generally new single plots or dwellings that were not previously domestic ( a single converted barn for example )

Re: USO Questions

pompey1898 — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 16:28:09 GMT

Hi @gg30340 , @-Richie- , @iniltous ,

Many thanks for all your replies.