Digital Britain: the industry reacts

 

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By Barry Collins

Posted on 30 Jan 2009 at 12:51

The Government's interim Digital Britain report has sparked a huge debate on the future of the country's broadband, illegal file-sharing and net neutrality.

Lord Carter's interim report sets out the blueprint for Britain's Digital future, encompassing everything from broadband access to digital television and radio.

Click here to read:

Government wants ISPs to collar illegal file sharers
No Government money for fibre broadband... yet
Government to sacrifice net neutrality to pay for fibre

Here we round up the industry's reaction to Lord Carter's proposals:

The Country Land and Business Association President Henry Aubrey-Fletcher

Today I have written to Lord Carter, requesting an urgent meeting to get the answers to three questions:

Why is the UK Government, unlike those in France, Germany and now Ireland, refusing to provide significant public sector investment for a viable universal broadband network?

What happens between now and 2012 when 'broadband for all' is rolled out?

Is the Government prepared to accept that until investment is made, some rural businesses will be unable to perform to their full potential, and that some families will remain educationally and socially disadvantaged?

Andrew Ferguson, editor of Thinkbroadband.com

The report falls short of recommending how funds should be made available to ensure a true future-proof fibre network is rolled out.

The Universal Service Obligation (USO) looks set to be delivered by a mixture of first-generation broadband solutions, and 2Mbits/sec by 2012 while a step up from dial-up, is going to very quickly be outpaced by applications and changes in internet usage.

CBI deputy director-general, John Cridland

Business wants to see a clear vision of how to move to a fully functioning knowledge economy.

Extended access to broadband for businesses and households has to be the right way forward, but there must be a dialogue between business and government about how this can be funded.

The Government must also put in place the right conditions for essential investment in next-generation broadband.

Spokesman for broadband provider TalkTalk

We're pleased that the Government has abandoned the 'three strikes' proposal which would have required ISPs to disconnect customers deemed by rights holders to have shared content under copyright.

The proposal was unfair, unworkable and against the customer interest. We look forward to seeing the detailed proposals on the more reasonable alternatives outlined in the Report.

Mobile phone network, T-Mobile

We welcome this insightful report, which identifies the issues we all need to address to make Britain a winner in the digital world.

It clearly understands the contribution mobile has already made and the even more exciting potential mobile broadband offers. It also puts its finger on a key current roadblock - the inability to use all existing mobile spectrum for 3G and to do so on an equitable, competitive basis.