Do you mean the bits that were purchased by the private sector through purchase of BT shares, or the bits that were gap funded?
We, although I prefer to be referred to in the singular, aren't ignoring it. If you'd
read my blog you may note I quote a figure for the amount Openreach have received as part of the BDUK scheme. About £700 million so far. The total is going to be less than £1.7 billion when all is said and done. That was the maximum and funds are being handed back due to take-up.
You may want to look into what gap funding is. As take up is exceeding predictions it's shrinking the gap between BT's normal commercial case and the intervention areas, hence smaller gaps to be filled with state funding between commercial and intervention areas and BT handing some of the subsidy back. £129 million so far.
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BT PLC or, more accurately, their owners, didn't receive the network for free. The government sold the shares, they didn't give them away.
It's certainly not a fraction of what it'd cost to create BT's network.
That VM can build to 4 million premises, 15% of the UK, for £3 billion should give you an idea of how ridiculous the suggestion that £55 billion is a fraction of what would be needed for universal FTTP, or at least coverage matching the current copper network's conditions, in the UK is.
The Analysys Mason paper is if anything quite out of date given modern construction techniques. Those interested could probably pass 80% of the UK's premises for less than £8 billion, from scratch, now.
Excuse my bringing facts and properly researched analysis into the discussion.