What does Jeremy Wright's appointment to DCMS mean for the UK's connectivity ambitions?

Richard Watts, Business Development Director, VXFIBER, argues that full fibre connectivity is essential to drive the UK's economic growth

Theresa May's recent cabinet reshuffle saw Matt Hancock replaced by Jeremy Wright as the Secretary of State for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). It's a decision that has been widely criticised with many people questioning Wright's suitability for the job due to his lack of digital expertise.

It's a natural question to ask. He will lead the digital agenda for the UK - arguably one of the most significantly impactful roles in the country for a generation. The UK is at a critical point where the roll out of full fibre broadband is a priority investment if the country is to keep pace in an increasingly digital world. Fibre that delivers high-speed broadband access is the foundation on which a digital economy and digital society is built. And this responsibility has just fallen into Wright's lap.

On the same day as the reshuffle, the UK government announced that it wants every home to get ultrafast full fibre broadband by 2033 - an ambitious target that is near impossible to reach unless the UK makes drastic steps to push the development of full fibre. So that leaves us with the next question: is Wright, a man with little digital experience, the person to lead this mission?

Leading the charge to boost connectivity
The lacklustre pace at which high-speed fibre connectivity is being rolled out across the UK is alarming in comparison with Europe, and the rest of the world. Only recently, research from Cable revealed that the UK has slipped from 31st to 35th place in the global broadband league tables, behind 25 other European countries. Less than 4 per cent of UK homes and businesses are connected to full fibre, so the UK has a long way to go if it is to reach its 2033 target.

Our continental cousins in Germany are slightly more connected than us at 7 per cent and they are investing €10 billion into the roll out of full fibre. Yet while we're further behind, the UK is investing only £1 billion. Then there are countries like Sweden, which boasts the second highest global broadband speeds and has achieved 60 per cent FTTP. Its commitment to full fibre and gigabit-speed (1GBps) connectivity is the reason it has been dubbed the land of the unicorns. Its development of a fibre infrastructure, providing the foundations for high-speed connectivity has been instrumental in delivering highly successful, digital businesses, such as Spotify, Skype and Mojang.

Simply rolling out "superfast" broadband in the UK won't cut it.

Superfast is already old news. Despite the speeds the word conjures up, superfast (24MBps) is not enough as people's professional and personal lives become increasingly digital. If we truly want to stimulate economic growth and futureproof our businesses and communities, we need to aim for gigabit speeds which can only be achieved with full-fibre. And this requires a huge mind-set shift. We need a Digital Minister that is able to do this.

Do we need a fibre expert?
Despite the criticism faced, the truth is that Wright does not need to be an expert in fibre, nor digital, to do the job. And that's not only because he'll have a team of experts around him at DCMS. Full fibre connectivity is essential to drive the UK's economic growth, build services for society, and improve social wellbeing. As the UK slips further behind the rest of the world, what is needed from Wright is not a glossary of tech terms, but urgent action. Wright has fallen into one of the most significant roles in UK politics - what we need from him is his political expertise. We need a politician.

Digital underpins everything we do. From smart city development and driving efficiencies in the energy sector, to transforming healthcare services and education, digital is the backdrop. Wright needs to use his political and economic expertise to push the digital agenda in government and secure greater investment.

This also means exploring new disruptive models, beyond relying on major service providers such a BT and Virgin Media to roll out fibre. Alternative providers or "altnets" have begun to prove how their business models have worked to develop fibre networks that meet demands for speed at scale.

And it's this new way of thinking that Wright needs to promote. The UK must make real change and get ahead of the curve, not simply keep catching up, if it wants to connect all homes and businesses by 2033 and drive economic growth.

DCMS already has the experts and has already laid the foundations to reach this mammoth connectivity commitment with its funding initiatives. What it needs now is for Wright to represent the sector both in the UK, and on the world stage.

Richard Watts is Business Development Director, VXFIBER