Policy background
The Government is committed to improving connectivity and ensuring all premises can achieve a good broadband speed. Gigabit-capable broadband is enabling infrastructure that will drive UK economic growth. It is the backbone of 5G mobile connectivity, which allows quick digital transactions and services which, in turn, will encourage innovation and enable personalised, efficient delivery of public services. The Covid pandemic showed that being connected helped businesses to run, families to stay in touch, allowed children to keep up with their education and supported society to function at a time of crisis.
	Greater connectivity will increase the demand for consumer connectable products such as smart speakers, smart TVs and wearable technology and the digital services they enable. In 2021, the average UK household had nine consumer connectable products in their home, with many lacking basic cyber security protections. Poorly secured consumer connectable products threaten individuals’ online security and, subsequently, their privacy and safety.
	When security flaws of products in the home are exploited, significant problems can ensue. Devices with weak security can be compromised, and be used in large-scale cyber attacks, such as Distributed Denial of Service ("DDoS") attacks. The impact of such attacks can reverberate across the wider UK, and global, economy.
	The Government is committed to protecting UK consumers from cyber threats and preventing the economic loss that results from attacks of this kind (estimated at over £1 billion per annum). To protect consumers, legislation to improve connectivity is paired with legislation to improve consumer-facing cyber security. The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 has been designed to improve the UK’s resilience to cyber attacks, and improve connectivity for individuals and businesses across the UK.