Last week, Connected Britain was back, and the keynote programme wasted no time in getting all the big players together for solo interviews followed by a lively panel debate. Anna Gross, telecoms, media and technology correspondent at the Financial Times, quickly got to the key issues.
Katie Milligan, chief commercial officer, Openreach, Lutz Schüler, CEO, Virgin Media O2, Greg Mesch, CEO, CityFibre, Ahmed Essam, CEO, Vodafone UK and Ireland, and Tristia Harrison, CEO, TalkTalk, and Katherine Ainley, CEO, Ericsson UK and Ireland, were pressed on price increases amidst the cost-of-living crisis, access to connectivity, and whether consumers are confused by the word ‘fibre’ being used to refer to non-FTTP solutions.
First up, Schüler responded to a question about the role of network operators within the cost-of-living crisis. He said, “The cost-of-living crisis is something we all have to take very seriously and we have to help customers through this crisis. We were the first to come out with a social tariff for broadband, and we gifted 60 million GB to the National Databank to help people in need stay connected.
“We are the only operator on the mobile side who is not putting up prices on handset installments or handset tariffs, only on airtime. We will increase prices there but this [will be in the range of] 10-12 per cent, which will [increase bills by just] £1.50 per month.”
Schüler pointed to the reality that tariffs have reduced over the last five to ten years, despite data usage increasing. He said this disparity puts operators in a difficult position. “We need to invest billions into 5G and stay competitive. We simply cannot do that if we keep lowering prices for mobile customers. Therefore, our position for mobile customers is clear and we think our price increase is appropriate as it only [applies to] airtime.
“On fixed, let’s see. We have not embedded price rises in our Ts and Cs, so we can make a discretionary decision. We are currently thinking about what the right balance is, so you will see a balanced approach on the fixed side.”
Essam, from Vodafone UK and Ireland, offered a similar perspective. He said, “It is a very sensitive topic and we need to be conscious of it. It is important we ask: how do we deal with customers who are in trouble? It is extremely important we answer this in a good way.
“Vodafone is a purpose-led organisation and, even before the current crisis, we pledged free mobile connectivity to 1 million people affected by the digital divide.”
Essam added the “support of wholesalers” will be essential in tackling this crisis effectively. He said, “Everybody looks to retailers when it comes to social tariffs, but how we support those in need from a wholesale perspective is another initiative that is very important.”
There was also discussion of the reality of overbuild, with current FTTP build plans adding up to three separate networks across the nations. There was agreement that the flourishing competitive landscape can be beneficial to end users, with the market ultimately deciding the number of players that will persist long-term.
On the show floor
The event was a hive of activity, with interested audiences moving between keynote sessions and seminars and a buzz on the conference floor. One notable session was a keynote by Lindsey Fussell, Ofcom’s group director for networks and communications, who called on operators to provide affordable services and focus on network security.
Fussell also highlighted the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum, or DRCF, which was formed by Ofcom, the Competition and Markets Authority, the Information Commissioner’s Office, and later the Financial Conduct Authority to ensure “clear, consistent and co-ordinated regulation” amidst the convergence of telecoms and digital markets.
Exhibitors included Nokia, Adtran, CityFibre, FullFibre, Vorboss, ITS Technology Group, Hyperoptic, Juniper Networks and Icotera, as well as Ordnance Survey which was spotlighting the critical role its mapping data plays in connectivity infrastructure projects.
The 2023 edition of Connected Britain will be held 20-21 September 2023 at London’s ExCeL.