High-Speed Internet Connections Now A Must For New Homes In England
Better broadband may soon be coming to residences in the United Kingdom, as two recently-implemented regulations will now require a majority of new housing projects to include gigabit internet, while giving pre-existing tenants better access to high-speed service.
The laws, passed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, & Sport, were amendments to the Building Regulations 2010 bill, with the key directive being that housing developers within the country must now future-proof forthcoming projects with fast broadband access.
According to the amendment, an estimated 98% of all construction projects will have to conform with the new guidelines, with connection costs will be capped at £2,000 (US$2,430). At the moment, the Department noted that gigabit broadband is available in 72% of the UK.
High-speed internet has become more of a need than a luxury over the past decade, with legislators attributing better connectivity to a boost in productivity for the millions working from home.
Gigabit connection allows for “lightning fast download speeds,” and for families to download movies, television series, and video games in 4K or 8K definition “onto multiple devices at the same time with no slowdowns in speed.”
In short, the updated regulations will enable those moving into new homes to enjoy stable broadband connection immediately, doing away with the need for costly and disruptive installation work after construction has been completed.
New homes in England must now be built with #GigabitBroadband connections
— Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (@DCMS) January 6, 2023
New laws mean home buyers, renters, and some leaseholders will be able to get lightning-fast connections, holding landlords accountable
Read more 👇https://t.co/nHQIAhntJu pic.twitter.com/UvNNFWeCpx
Additionally, the second ruling—the Telecommunications Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Act—will now make it easier for tenants to upgrade internet connections in blocks of flats, even if previous attempts to do so have been shut down by unwilling landlords.
Broadband providers will be given more access to install equipment in these buildings, with lawmakers estimating over 2,100 more residential buildings a year will be connected to high-speed internet through this law.
“Millions of renters will no longer be prevented from getting a broadband upgrade due to the silence of their landlord, and those moving into newly built homes can be confident they’ll have access to the fastest speeds available from the day they move in,” quips Digital Infrastructure Minister Julia Lopez.
[via Gizmodo and Department for Digital, Culture, Media, & Sport, cover image via Tommaso79 | Dreamstime.com]
