Superfast and gigabit broadband infrastructure - Open Market Review: request for information

Annex D: Technical Definition

The UK Government is currently reviewing the criteria for gigabit-capable networks based upon consultation with industry and the UK regulator, around the criteria below. In the meantime the Scottish Government will work with the following technical definition:

Infrastructure that can support gigabit-capable services directly or via third-party providers without restriction, as set out below:

a) Connections that are gigabit-capable (capable of delivering 1,000Mbps or more download speeds) at the time of delivery of the connection without the need for future hardware upgrades or modification i.e. gigabit capability to be available from day one and if the consumer takes a slower speed it must be soft upgradeable without undue delay.

b) At least one product with a download speed capability of at least 1Gbps and an upload speed in line with industry norms (typically around 200 Mbps) with busy hour performance as laid out below.

c) Products with a clear and comprehensible explanation of the minimum, normally available and maximum advertised download and upload speeds.

d) Low data latency in accordance with Ofcom regime or codes of practice, recent industry norms and Industry Standards for the requirements of real-time services (or otherwise, in the absence of prevailing standards 10ms and below for 95% of the time).

e) Support for real-time services (e.g. voice/video calling, telematics, telemedicine etc.) with performance indicators (e.g. jitter, packet loss etc.) in line with recent industry standards, or in the absence of industry standards: 2ms for jitter, and 0.1% for packet loss, 95% of the time.

f) Actual data speeds and performance during the busiest hours of the day (not more than 4 out of every 24), that do not degrade below 33% of the headline download speed, and an upload speed equivalent to 20% of the minimum download speed (note: for performance where lower values are better, such as latency, jitter and packet loss, then a factor of 100% above would apply instead).

g) Actual data speeds and performance that do not degrade outside of the busiest hours below 95% of the higher of the download and upload speeds set out above.

h) Actual data speeds and performance that do not degrade as take-up of services approaches 100% of the addressable market (including any part arising from switch-off of legacy networks), to be demonstrated by firm commercial and technical (including capacity upgrade) plans based upon forecasts of up to 7 years.

i) Where service offerings and performance vary by locality e.g. as a result of subscribers' distances from infrastructure, gigabit capability to be maintained for all potential customers.

j) Order fulfilment and rectification within typical industry timescales, supported by demonstrably efficient service management processes.

k) Maintenance of customer service levels and network availability in line with industry norms, ideally supported by Service Level Agreements.

l) Service provision that does not unfairly discriminate against particular types of services, providers, subscribers or third parties (e.g. via traffic shaping or Quality of Service measures).

m) For subsidised networks only; offering of wholesale access products on open and non-discriminatory terms in line with the principle of technological neutrality, to enable the interconnection to the subsidised network of any technology which other communications providers and/or retail providers may reasonably consider appropriate in accordance with the wholesale access requirements.