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If you've been following the UK's digital infrastructure journey, you'll want to know about this - the government just launched their May 2025 National Rolling Open Market Review (NR OMR) as part of Project Gigabit. They're asking broadband suppliers like you to share what you're up to with your existing and planned infrastructure. Why does this matter? Well, it's how they'll figure out which areas really need government support to get that lightning-fast gigabit broadband we all want to see nationwide.

What You Need to Know About Project Gigabit

Before diving into the details of the review, let me catch you up on what Project Gigabit is all about. It's the government's ambitious program to bring fast, reliable gigabit-capable broadband to communities that might otherwise miss out. The program is crucial for meeting the government's target of full gigabit coverage by 2030, focusing particularly on rural and remote communities as well as those urban pockets with poor connectivity.

Why is it such a big deal? Well, gigabit-capable connections mean households no longer have to battle over bandwidth, businesses can boost their productivity, and public services like schools and hospitals can deliver better outcomes. It's about building a network that's not just good enough for today but will meet our growing demands for decades to come!

What is the National Rolling Open Market Review?

Let me break it down for you - the NR OMR is essentially a check-in that happens every four months (January, May, and September). It's your chance to tell the government exactly what you're building and where you're planning to deploy gigabit-capable infrastructure. They're particularly interested in finding those Intervention Areas (IAs) that aren't commercially attractive, where nobody's planning to build in the next three years.

Why should you care? This process helps everyone:

• It makes sure the government's £5 billion goes to the places that truly need it most

• It prevents wasteful overbuilding where you might already have commercial plans

• It's more efficient than the old local Open Market Review process

• It helps everyone plan better about where and when to invest

What You Need to Know

Here's what you'll need to provide if you're a supplier:

• All the details about where you're currently offering service and where you plan to expand, right down to the premise level

• Evidence that shows your investment plans are solid and credible

• Details about your technology, how you'll deliver it, and proof that your business model makes financial sense

Mark your calendar - you've got until June 2, 2025 to get your submission in!

Where This Applies

Just a heads-up - while they're collecting data from across the UK, the results from this May 2025 review will only apply to England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own OMR/PR activities happening right now, so they'll be handled separately.

How This Affects Eligibility

After they analyze all the data, here's how they'll label different areas:

• White: These are the places with no gigabit service now and none coming in the next 3 years (these are the goldmines eligible for government funding!)

• Grey: Places where you or another supplier already has or is planning to build gigabit infrastructure

• Black: Areas lucky enough to have two or more suppliers offering gigabit connections

• Under Review: Places where they're still verifying the claims about current or planned coverage

Remember, only those "White" areas will qualify for the government money - so this classification matters a lot!

Why You Should Definitely Participate

I can't stress this enough - being part of this process is in your best interest because:

• It ensures nobody accidentally builds over your network using government money

• It helps determine where GigaHubs and UK Gigabit Vouchers can be used

• You'll get a personal analysis of your submission and info about where potential commercial overbuild might happen

• You'll get the inside scoop on which areas BDUK sees as non-commercial (potential expansion opportunities!)

Zooming Out: The Big Project Gigabit Picture

This review isn't happening in isolation - it's a critical piece of the massive Project Gigabit puzzle. The government has put £5 billion on the table to make sure everyone in the UK gets access to gigabit-capable broadband ASAP. Yes, even those tricky-to-reach rural spots that might not make commercial sense for you to build to on your own.

The info you share now will directly shape which areas get packaged up as Intervention Areas that you and your competitors can later bid on. It's like helping design the playing field you'll compete on later!

And remember, Project Gigabit isn't just about getting faster Netflix streaming (though that's a nice bonus!). It's about enabling flexible working, boosting business productivity, improving public services, and building digital infrastructure that's future-proof as our demand for data continues to grow. The government is committed to full gigabit coverage by 2030, and this review is one of the stepping stones to get there.

What To Do Now

If you're a broadband infrastructure supplier, here's your action plan:

1. First, sign that Public Sector Geospatial Agreement Contractor Licence (sounds formal, but it's necessary!)

2. Pull together all your data showing where you are now and where you're heading

3. Back it up with solid evidence that proves your plans are the real deal

Got questions? Need to submit? Just drop a line to BDUK at [email protected].

Until Next Time!

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