TalkTalk has warned that up to a third of people in the UK will be left without superfast broadband unless the government and Ofcom act.
According to a report commissioned by the Salford-headquartered company, one quarter of the population will still be on slower internet connections on copper networks by 2030.
It added that people are hesitant to switch providers to new ultrafast fibre optic broadband because of what they see as negligible benefits. The report also says consumers worry it could cause them internet problems in the short term and that they do not want to pay more.
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The findings from Frontier Economics show that even once full fibre roll-out has reached the whole of the UK, "there will remain a significant number who do not take up the new technology as they are not currently motivated to do so and too many barriers currently exist", TalkTalk said.
Chief executive Tristia Harrison said: "It’s time to put the consumer first when it comes to the full fibre revolution. It has never been more important for the whole country to have access to fast reliable and affordable connectivity and without action, up to a third will be left behind.
"Collaboration between industry, government and Ofcom on Project Gigabit has seen huge progress on the full fibre rollout. However, building technology doesn’t mean people will adopt it. As this research shows, poor consumer adoption could see that very roll-out put at risk and see many left behind from the huge benefits it could bring and heighten the digital divide.
"Thankfully, there are steps that can be taken by us in industry, by the government and Ofcom to increase understanding and incentives, so that the full benefits are realised.
"It’s in all our interests – government, ISPs and network operators – for consumers to migrate quickly and smoothly. We look forward to working with industry, policymakers and regulators to ensure that fast, reliable, affordable connectivity is a reality for everyone."
The report adds: "Policymakers cannot assume that the successful rollout of FTTP will lead to the full socioeconomic benefits that FTTP is expected to deliver. The risk of a persistent FTTP take-up gap should not be ignored and warrants proactive approach to stimulating FTTP migration.
"Slow FTTP migration will cause the UK to miss out on a valuable opportunity to boost productivity, grow the workforce, deliver more ‘digitally native’ public services, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to increase digital inclusion. Slow migration may also reduce the future pace and extent of FTTP rollout by undermining the business case for investment."
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