What is a 'Universal commitment'?

Ed Vaizey (13/4/2016) says that the 10 Mbps 'commitment' is now not that at all.

D Telegraph

Tell me again how you know politicians are lying?

Last year, the Government promised that everyone should have the legal right to request a 10 Mbps connection by the end of this Parliament, no matter where they live. Mr Vaizey said then that this could come into force as early as 2017.

The key word there is "request" - it does not guarantee it will be provided or provided at a reasonable cost!

What about some of the places I see up in Scotland - 20km by road from an exchange or even a cabinet and just one, tow or three properties in the vicinity/ Who is going to pick up the enormous bill to run fibre most of that distance and then a cabinet installation?

In reply to a post by MHC:

Who is going to pick up the enormous bill to run fibre most of that distance and then a cabinet installation?

The evil city dwellers should subsidise it I guess.

I will then ask those in the middle of nowhere to subsidise me purchasing all the houses in a 1 mile radius so I can knock them down and have nice views (and more room) like they have.

There article seems to never use the words Universal Commitment, there was discussion of the Universal Service Obligation in the committee meeting which the Telegraph appear to be confusing with the superfast broadband targets.

Best to watch the Parliament TV feed and see what the Minister said.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

which the Telegraph appear to be confusing with the superfast broadband targets.

They often get confused. I've yet to decide if it's accidental or deliberate :-/

The word 'Commitment' was mine and hence in apostrophes. You can pussy-foot around with syntax and wordage as much as you like, but the 'spin' was to persuade Jo Public what a jolly good bunch the government were, and I read
"In November 2015, the Prime Minister announced the government�s intention to implement a new broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO). This will give people the right to request an affordable broadband connection, at a minimum speed, from a designated provider, up to a reasonable cost threshold." as pretty damn close to a spinning PM's 'commitment', as do many. This latest reversal is merely softening us up for the shortfall that will be inevitable.

The "right to request an affordable broadband connection, at a minimum speed, from a designated provider" has been there for years! The spin was to suggest it might actually happen. Of course cost comes into it, but it is where that cost will 'settle' we need to watch.

In reply to a post by mikejp:

... and I read
"... up to a reasonable cost threshold."

Which means not everybody.

I don't think even the existing USO means whatever the cost. IIRC the limit is something like £3000, before the customer has to start forking out. 28kbps.

Mikejp (& others)

You do have a chance to input into the USO standards.

OFCOM has called for inputs see forum thread .

Input is sought for the following areas:

� Specification and scope of the USO;
� Demand for the USO;
� Cost, proportionality and efficiency of the USO;
� The universal service provider or providers;
� Funding of the USO and potential market distortions;
� Review of the USO.

Anyone can reply easily.