National Broadband plan procurement process

Summary

The request sought details on the National Broadband Plan procurement, including the chosen partner, technology type, and cost breakdown. The response confirmed Manx Telecom as the winner for a £10m project to deliver FTTP to 99% of premises, but withheld specific cost breakdowns citing trade secrets.

Key Facts

• The procurement process concluded in early May 2020.
• Manx Telecom was announced as the winning bidder.
• The plan aims to deliver fibre directly to premises (FTTP) to 99% of the island within 5 years.
• Government funding is restricted to areas not commercially viable, with Manx Telecom investing in other areas.
• Exact cost breakdowns were withheld under the trade secret exemption.

Data Disclosed

• 11 June 2020
• early May 2020
• 21st May 2020
• 99%
• 5 years
• c.£10m
• s30(2)(a)

Exemptions Cited

• s30(2)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 - Trade secret

Original Request

We understand that the Government has been involved in a procurement process to determine its partner of choice to deliver the National Broadband Plan, and as part of these proceedings it was hoped that the actual delivery cost of this proposal would be determined. This was expected to be completed by the end of March 2020. Please may we know whether the process has been completed, and who is the chosen partner? Is it planned to install FTTP or FTTC across the Island? If FTTC, then will the remaining distance from the cabinet to the premises be provided by copper wire or wireless signal? Please may we see a breakdown of the proposed costs? Thank you .

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Freedom of Information Co-ordinator 1st Floor, St Georges Court Upper Church Street, Douglas Isle of Man IM1 1EX

Telephone: (01624 682387) Website: www.gov.im/ded Email: anthony.walker@gov.im

Our ref: 1327609 7 July 2020

Dear ###,

We write further to your request which was received on 11 June 2020 and which states:

"We understand that the Government has been involved in a procurement process to determine its partner of choice to deliver the National Broadband Plan, and as part of these proceedings it was hoped that the actual delivery cost of this proposal would be determined. This was expected to be completed by the end of March 2020. Please may we know whether the process has been completed, and who is the chosen partner? Is it planned to install FTTP or FTTC across the Island? If FTTC, then will the remaining distance from the cabinet to the premises be provided by copper wire or wireless signal? Please may we see a breakdown of the proposed costs? Thank you ."

Our response to your request is as follows: We can confirm that the Department for Enterprise has been involved in a procurement exercise to determine a partner of choice to deliver the National - Broadband Plan. The process was concluded in early May 2020 and the winning bidder was announced by the Minster for Enterprise at the May sitting of Tynwald. At that time the Department also issued a press release which can be found on the main media websites and the Manx Independent carried it as a news item in their edition of 21st May 2020. The link to these articles can be found below as can the link to Hansard which includes the Ministers announcement.

The plan remains to deliver fibre past 99% of premises within 5 years, however we are investigating ways in which we can accelerate this rollout. This will mean that fibre will be available directly to the premises, for those that would choose to take it, without the need for copper infrastructure. The project will cost c.£10m over the life of the 5 year programme. The government will only be providing funding for those areas of the Island that are not commercially viable and as such would not see investment in fibre infrastructure for the foreseeable future. Manx Telecom will be investing in all other areas. Exact cost breakdowns have been withheld under s30(2)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 - ‘Information is qualified exempt information if it constitutes a trade secret’.
Please see below links to afore mentioned media releases and documents: http://www.iomtoday.co.im/article.cfm?id=55757&headline=Manx%20Telecom%20wi ns%20%C2%A310m%20contract%20to%20deliver%20ultra%20fast%20fibre%20bro adband%20across%20the%20island&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2020 https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/faster-internet-speeds-promised- for-difficult-to-reach-areas/ http://www.tynwald.org.im/business/hansard/20002020/t200519.pdf Please quote the reference number 1327609 in any future communications.

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I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours faithfully