New regulations have been passed in the UK, making gigabit internet mandatory for new housing construction projects. Gigabit internet refers to internet service with a download speed of 1 gigabit per second (Gbps), which is equal to 1000 megabits per second (Mbps), while currently, most home internet connections range from 10 to 100 Mbps.
As per government figures, about 12% of the homes built each year, are not fitted with infrastructure and connections to support the “lightning-fast” internet. “The updated regulations mean that more people moving into new homes will have a gigabit-capable broadband connection ready when construction is completed, avoiding the need for costly and disruptive installation work after the home is built,” states a press release from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, & Sport.
The government also announced the regulations on Twitter, posting: “New homes in England must now be built with #GigabitBroadband connections. New laws mean home buyers, renters, and some leaseholders will be able to get lightning-fast connections, holding landlords accountable.”
According to the new legislation, aiming for millions of homeowners and tenants to get better access to faster broadband, home builders must spend no more than £2,000 ($2,437) per property on gigabit connections. If a gigabit-capable connection cannot be secured within that limit, the subsequent quickest connection must be installed.
Digital Infrastructure Minister Julia Lopez said in the press release, that “Nothing should stop people from seizing the benefits of better broadband, whether it is an unresponsive landlord or a property developer’s failure to act.”
“Thanks to our new laws, 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,” the Minister added.
Source: pcmag.com
