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Thursday 10 July 2008

Property rating for fibre

Back at the beginning of this century (!), I became very interested in the issue of property rating on fibre, and why it was cited as one of the issues surrounding non-investment in FTTH, particularly by new entrants.

I wrote an article on it, Treasury taxing new entrant fibre providers', and the issue has been taxing me ever since.

I am short of hard data about how much this property tax is at current rates since the new rates came into effect last year.

Nor do I know what effect it has on the 'up to £16bn' sum - is it included in the provision of FTTH that keeps being cited? Is it included whether or not there is full copper replacement?

How is it affecting the thinking of non-incumbent players?

When H20 do Bournemouth, do the council take the rates with one hand and pay them with the other? Does the money go direct to Treasury or stay with the council?

Under what circumstances can the rates be changed - viz in Korea where they scrapped them entirely to encourage FTTH deployment?

The BSG had a working group for this issue, does it still exist?? What/where is the latest document on the subject?

Questions, questions......any answers out there?

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