@stephenkb is absolutely right. Short technical note on why.
The distinction between ownership (EU rules neutral) and what the State can then do with the business it owns (EU State aid rules generally apply) is critical.
The key technical issue here is whether the UK could define the provision of free high fibre broadband to everyone as a “service of general economic interest” or SGEI. The State has a very wide degree of discretion there.
If it can - and in my first blush view it can - then the issues that could arise would be excessive funding and discrimination between those using the network to supply services.
The Commission would need to approve - but its ability to question the definition of a SGEI is limited. It would though need to check for excessive funding/discrimination.
Those are issues that (I would be pretty sure) can be avoided by careful design of the scheme.
But Stephen manages to get all those issues down in a non-technical and clear way. Which shows how clear non-specialist journalism on these questions can also be accurate. I guess because he has done some research. Others should read and note.
Cc @toadmeister.
