{"id":11036,"date":"2026-07-22T11:27:27","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T10:27:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/news\/ispa-urges-andy-burnham-to-embrace-opportunity-to-finish-uk-broadband-upgrades\/"},"modified":"2026-07-22T11:27:27","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T10:27:27","slug":"ispa-urges-andy-burnham-to-embrace-opportunity-to-finish-uk-broadband-upgrades","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/news\/ispa-urges-andy-burnham-embrace-opportunity-finish-uk-broadband-upgrades\/","title":{"rendered":"ISPA urges Andy Burnham to embrace opportunity to finish UK broadband upgrades"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1067 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/728x282-border.png\" alt=\"Click To Compare Broadband Deals\" width=\"728\" height=\"282\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ISPA%E2%81%A4_Calls_on_andy_Burnham_to%E2%80%8D_Seize%E2%80%8C_the_Moment_for_UK_Broadband_Enhancement\"><\/span>ISPA&#x2064; Calls on andy Burnham to&#x200D; Seize&#x200C; the Moment for UK Broadband Enhancement<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The &#8291;Autonomous Networks Cooperative Association (ISPA) has recently made a compelling appeal&#8203; to Greater Manchester&zwnj; Mayor Andy Burnham, urging him &#8291;to take full advantage of the current landscape to accelerate broadband upgrades across the&zwnj; UK. As&#8291; the demand &#8291;for high-speed internet continues to surge, especially &#8290;in the wake of increased&#8290; remote work and streaming services, Burnham&rsquo;s &zwj;leadership could play a pivotal role &zwnj;in driving a&zwj; nationwide push for enhanced <a class=\"glossaryLink\"  aria-describedby=\"tt\"  data-cmtooltip=\"cmtt_4ab868bd8c3416c0a3eec97c6c6d6744\"  href=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/glossary\/connectivity\/\"  target=\"_blank\"  data-mobile-support=\"0\"  data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]' tabindex='0' role='link'>connectivity<\/a>.This article will explore the implications of ISPA&rsquo;s call to action, examining its &#8203;potential impact on consumers, competitors, and the broader market dynamics&zwj; within the UK broadband&#8291; sector.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Current_Landscape_of_%E2%80%8BUK_broadband\"><\/span>The Current Landscape of &#x200B;UK broadband<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In recent years, the UK has&#x200C; witnessed a significant transformation in its &#x200B;broadband infrastructure. With the government&#x2019;s commitment to achieving nationwide gigabit-capable coverage by 2025, ther &#x2063;have&#x2063; been considerable advancements, particularly in urban areas. however,rural &#x200C;and underserved regions still lag behind,creating a digital&#x200B; divide that hampers economic growth and &#x200B;access to essential services.<\/p>\n<p>Comparatively, countries like South korea &#x200C;have set benchmarks for broadband speed and accessibility, with average &#x2062;speeds&#x2063; exceeding &#x2064;100 Mbps.&#x2062; By contrast, the UK&#x2019;s average broadband speed stands at around 60 Mbps, indicating a need &#x2062;for considerable betterment.&#x2063; This&#x200B; disparity highlights the urgency for leaders like Burnham to prioritize broadband &#x200B;enhancements, ensuring that all regions can benefit from the digital revolution.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ISPAs_Vision_for_the_future\"><\/span>ISPA&#x2019;s Vision for the future<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The ISPA&#x2019;s &#x2064;call to action &#x2064;emphasizes the critical need for local authorities to collaborate with private sector providers&#x2063; to expedite &#x200D;the rollout of high-speed internet.By harnessing the expertise and resources of multiple stakeholders, Greater &#x200D;Manchester could&#x2062; serve &#x2064;as &#x2063;a model for other regions grappling with similar broadband challenges.<\/p>\n<p>Key areas for collaboration&#x200C; include:<\/p>\n<ul><p><\/p>\n<li><strong>Public-Private Partnerships<\/strong>: &#x2063;Engaging with telecom companies to facilitate infrastructure investments.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><strong>Funding and Incentives<\/strong>: Utilizing government&#x200C; funds to incentivize broadband deployment in &#x2064;underserved areas.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><strong>Community Engagement<\/strong>: Involving local communities&#x200C; in the planning process&#x2064; to ensure that the solutions meet their needs.<\/li>\n<p>\n<\/p><\/ul>\n<p>this approach contrasts with the &#x2062;customary model were local authorities frequently enough operate in silos.By fostering a collaborative &#x200C;surroundings, Burnham could accelerate the deployment of fiber-optic networks, a strategy&#x2064; already being effectively implemented &#x200D;in cities like Bristol, &#x2062;where a community-lead project has resulted&#x200C; in significant improvements in connectivity.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Consumer%E2%80%8B_Implications_of_Enhanced_Broadband\"><\/span>Consumer&#x200B; Implications of Enhanced Broadband<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>For consumers,the ramifications of improved broadband access are profound. enhanced&#x2063; connectivity opens up opportunities for &#x2063;remote work, online education, and digital entertainment. A robust broadband infrastructure can facilitate a &#x2063;more dynamic economy, enabling small businesses &#x2063;to thrive in the digital marketplace.<\/p>\n<p>as the market evolves, consumers &#x2062;are increasingly &#x200C;gravitating toward&#x200C; streaming&#x200D; services&#x2062; and other data-intensive applications. For instance, the rise of platforms like Netflix and Disney+ has propelled the&#x2064; demand for faster internet speeds, with many households now requiring connections of 100 Mbps or more &#x200B;to accommodate multiple users and devices. This shift &#x200D;underscores the necessity&#x200C; for local authorities to act decisively in upgrading broadband services to meet the rising expectations of consumers.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, &#x200C;the potential &#x200B;for increased competition among broadband providers could lead to more favorable pricing &#x200C;and service offerings for consumers. As cities like Manchester embrace infrastructure upgrades,&#x2063; competitors will likely respond by enhancing&#x2063; their own service offerings, benefiting consumers with improved options and prices.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Competitors_and_Providers_Are_Responding\"><\/span>How Competitors and Providers Are Responding<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>As ISPA&#x2019;s message &#x200C;resonates&#x2062; within the &#x200B;industry, several broadband &#x2062;providers have begun to&#x200C; ramp up their efforts &#x200D;to enhance services in anticipation of &#x2064;a competitive market. Companies such&#x200D; as BT and &#x2062;Virgin Media&#x200C; are investing heavily in fiber deployments,with&#x200C; both announcing ambitious expansion plans in urban and rural&#x200D; areas alike.<\/p>\n<ul><p><\/p>\n<li><strong>BT<\/strong>: Plans to extend fiber coverage to 25 &#x200D;million homes by 2026, a move &#x200C;that&#x2063; could significantly increase the competitiveness of its&#x2063; offerings.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><strong>Virgin &#x200C;Media<\/strong>: Committed&zwnj; to a&zwnj; &pound;1 billion investment &zwnj;to upgrade its existing <a class=\"glossaryLink\"  aria-describedby=\"tt\"  data-cmtooltip=\"cmtt_f4a77d709954af323a24064510e3e6a1\"  href=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/glossary\/network\/\"  target=\"_blank\"  data-mobile-support=\"0\"  data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]' tabindex='0' role='link'>network<\/a>, aiming &#8292;to bring gigabit-capable broadband to millions more households.<\/li>\n<p>\n<\/p><\/ul>\n<p>in &#x2064;this evolving landscape,&#x2064; the &#x2062;response from competitors could be crucial&#x2064; for accelerating the pace of broadband upgrades across&#x2062; the UK.The momentum generated by&#x200B; ISPA&#x2019;s call to &#x2063;Burnham may encourage other local leaders to champion similar&#x200C; initiatives, fostering a nationwide push toward improved connectivity.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Experts_Take_Market_Implications\"><\/span>Expert&#x2019;s Take: Market Implications<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The ISPA&#x2019;s appeal&#x200C; for Andy Burnham to embrace the prospect for broadband upgrades&#x2063; has far-reaching implications for the UK market. Should Burnham and other local authorities heed this call, we could witness a transformative &#x2062;shift in the broadband landscape, bridging the digital divide and propelling the UK toward a&#x2064; more connected&#x2062; future.<\/p>\n<p>In the short term, increased collaboration &#x2062;could result in faster deployment of broadband networks, particularly in&#x200D; underserved regions. In the long term, &#x2063;as competition intensifies, consumers are likely to &#x2063;benefit from enhanced service options and pricing.Moreover, a robust broadband infrastructure could &#x2062;bolster the economy, attracting businesses and fostering innovation across various sectors.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately,this&#x200B; movement aligns with broader industry trends that prioritize connectivity as&#x2062; a basic&#x200C; right. As the UK continues&#x2064; to &#x200D;navigate the digital age, the collective efforts of local authorities, industry&#x200C; stakeholders, and &#x2062;consumers will be&#x2063; vital in shaping a more equitable digital future.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1067 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/728x282-border.png\" alt=\"Click To Compare Broadband Deals\" width=\"728\" height=\"282\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<style>\r\n.lwrp.link-whisper-related-posts{\r\n            \r\n            margin-top: 40px;\nmargin-bottom: 30px;\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-title{\r\n            \r\n            \r\n        }.lwrp .lwrp-description{\r\n            \r\n            \r\n\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-container{\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-multi-container{\r\n            display: flex;\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-double{\r\n            width: 48%;\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-triple{\r\n            width: 32%;\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-row-container{\r\n            display: flex;\r\n            justify-content: space-between;\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-row-container .lwrp-list-item{\r\n            width: calc(33% - 20px);\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-item:not(.lwrp-no-posts-message-item){\r\n            \r\n            \r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-item img{\r\n            max-width: 100%;\r\n            height: auto;\r\n            object-fit: cover;\r\n            aspect-ratio: 1 \/ 1;\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-item.lwrp-empty-list-item{\r\n            background: initial !important;\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-item .lwrp-list-link .lwrp-list-link-title-text,\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-item .lwrp-list-no-posts-message{\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        }@media screen and (max-width: 480px) {\r\n            .lwrp.link-whisper-related-posts{\r\n                \r\n                \r\n            }\r\n            .lwrp .lwrp-title{\r\n                \r\n                \r\n            }.lwrp .lwrp-description{\r\n                \r\n                \r\n            }\r\n            .lwrp .lwrp-list-multi-container{\r\n                flex-direction: column;\r\n            }\r\n            .lwrp .lwrp-list-multi-container ul.lwrp-list{\r\n                margin-top: 0px;\r\n                margin-bottom: 0px;\r\n                padding-top: 0px;\r\n                padding-bottom: 0px;\r\n            }\r\n            .lwrp .lwrp-list-double,\r\n            .lwrp .lwrp-list-triple{\r\n                width: 100%;\r\n            }\r\n            .lwrp .lwrp-list-row-container{\r\n                justify-content: initial;\r\n                flex-direction: column;\r\n            }\r\n            .lwrp .lwrp-list-row-container .lwrp-list-item{\r\n                width: 100%;\r\n            }\r\n            .lwrp .lwrp-list-item:not(.lwrp-no-posts-message-item){\r\n                \r\n                \r\n            }\r\n            .lwrp .lwrp-list-item .lwrp-list-link .lwrp-list-link-title-text,\r\n            .lwrp .lwrp-list-item .lwrp-list-no-posts-message{\r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            };\r\n        }<\/style>\r\n<div id=\"link-whisper-related-posts-widget\" class=\"link-whisper-related-posts lwrp\">\r\n            <h3 class=\"lwrp-title\">Related Posts<\/h3>    \r\n        <div class=\"lwrp-list-container\">\r\n                                            <div class=\"lwrp-list-multi-container\">\r\n                    <ul class=\"lwrp-list lwrp-list-double lwrp-list-left\">\r\n                        <li class=\"lwrp-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/news\/virgin-media-o2-switches-5g-standalone-uk-businesses\/\" class=\"lwrp-list-link\"><span class=\"lwrp-list-link-title-text\">Virgin Media O2 Switches on 5G Standalone for UK Businesses<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"lwrp-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/news\/business-uk-isp-mll-telecom-appoints-stuart-wallis-ceo\/\" class=\"lwrp-list-link\"><span class=\"lwrp-list-link-title-text\">Business UK ISP MLL Telecom Appoints Stuart Wallis as New CEO<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"lwrp-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/news\/exclusive-december-2025-update-openreach-full-fibre-roll\/\" class=\"lwrp-list-link\"><span class=\"lwrp-list-link-title-text\">EXCLUSIVE December 2025 update on Openreach full-fibre roll-out<\/span><\/a><\/li>                    <\/ul>\r\n                    <ul class=\"lwrp-list lwrp-list-double lwrp-list-right\">\r\n                        <li class=\"lwrp-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/news\/survey-reveals-worst-uk-cities-isps-broadband-reliability\/\" class=\"lwrp-list-link\"><span class=\"lwrp-list-link-title-text\">New Survey Reveals Best and Worst UK Cities and ISPs for Broadband Reliability<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"lwrp-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/news\/ofcom-proposes-sharing-6ghz-band-mobile-wi-fi\/\" class=\"lwrp-list-link\"><span class=\"lwrp-list-link-title-text\">Ofcom proposes sharing 6GHz band between Mobile and Wi-Fi<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"lwrp-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/news\/trouble-switching-virgin-media-uk-giffgaff-broadband\/\" class=\"lwrp-list-link\"><span class=\"lwrp-list-link-title-text\">The Trouble with Switching from Virgin Media UK to Giffgaff Broadband<\/span><\/a><\/li>                    <\/ul>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ISPA\u2064 Calls on andy Burnham to\u200d Seize\u200c the Moment for UK Broadband Enhancement The \u2063Autonomous Networks Cooperative Association (ISPA) has [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5458,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[8849,3387,1197,157,392,155,508,382,159,478,8850,438,160,136,209],"misspellings":[],"class_list":["post-11036","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-andy-burnham","tag-broadband-upgrades","tag-communication-networks","tag-connectivity","tag-digital-economy","tag-digital-infrastructure","tag-government-policy","tag-infrastructure-investment","tag-internet-access","tag-ispa","tag-public-initiatives","tag-regional-development","tag-technology-development","tag-telecommunications","tag-uk-broadband"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11036","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11036"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11036\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5458"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11036"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11036"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11036"},{"taxonomy":"misspellings","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/misspellings?post=11036"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}