The new Economic Impact of Full Fibre Infrastructure in 100 UK Towns and Cities  report predicts that a nationwide full-fibre roll-out could unlock £4.5 billion in productivity, innovation and access to new markets in these locations. Encouraged by the roll-out, new start-ups are expected to add an additional £2.3bn in growth while the increased ability for companies to support flexible working could add £1.9bn.

The report, conducted by Regeneris Consulting examined ten areas of the British economy likely to benefit from the roll-out. It also measured the impact of each of these areas in 100 distinct UK town and city economies over a 15 year period.

It found that the construction of full-fibre networks and the resulting access to the digital infrastructure could be the solution to Britain’s stagnating growth. It has the transformative potential to boost the UK’s economy by encouraging business growth, increasing productivity and facilitating innovation.

Economic Impacts to Extend Much Further

With access to high-speed broadband becoming an essential prerequisite for home buyers, a potential £7bn could be added to the value of UK homes as a result of the roll-out. Not only will the UK reap financial rewards from full-fibre access, it could also significantly reduce its carbon emissions by over 2.3 million tonnes, worth £160m, due to improved access to digital services such as e-commerce and telecommuting.

It is expected that wider Smart City enablement could add as much as £5bn, while the improvement of healthcare services is worth an estimated £1.1bn. The direct impact of the network roll-out itself would add £2.1bn of direct economic growth to the economy and, at the height of its deployment, add close to 7,000 jobs to the construction and civil engineering sectors.

CityFibre Calls for Faster Roll-Out

Simon Hooton, Director at Regeneris, said: “Our findings clearly indicate that full fibre will provide the core infrastructure required to kick-start the next generation of digital technology and drive an expansion of smart infrastructure in towns and cities where it is deployed. The result will be a modernised, more productive and innovative UK economy.”

As a result, CityFibre, who commissioned the report, has called for an acceleration of the roll-out. The company argues that the new findings add further weight to its argument that the ASA should reverse its decision to approve the continued use of the term ‘fibre’ to describe services delivered over copper-based networks.

Greg Mesch, CEO at CityFibre, explained: “The UK economy is crying out for a shot in the arm and this report clearly demonstrates that a national full-fibre roll-out would do just that. This is a discussion about far more than just broadband, it is about the digital infrastructure set to power our economy for decades to come.

Report Research Summary

Key Research Findings for Businesses

• £2.2bn in productivity stimulus
• £2.3bn in innovation benefits
• £2.3bn in growth resulting from new business start-ups
• £1.9bn in flexible working benefits

Key Benefits for UK Households

• Households could benefit collectively to the sum of £7bn through increased property value
• £1.1bn from future healthcare applications
• £5bn from smart city infrastructure, services and smart energy
• £10bn from the Internet of Things/Industry 4.0
• £28bn in 5G benefits.

Direct Economic Impact of Network Construction

• Drive £2.1bn GVA
• Create close to 7000 temporary jobs, predominantly in the construction and civil engineering industries.