Digital Economy Bill Mentions No Broadband Tax

The Digital Economy Bill of the Labour government carries no mention of the much talked about 50 pence broadband internet tax mooted originally as part of the Digital Britain report put forward by former communications minister Lord Carter. Since the government has laid out its digital economy bill programmes now, it seems the proposal has been shunted across to be part of a Finance Bill that will be proposed later in 2010.

However, the digital economy bill did not shunt the anti-online filesharing legislation proposal as it has been mentioned that the power to disconnect the services of persistent online illegal downloaders should vest on the government. I has also been mentioned that the government should enjoy the power to discuss what it considered to be the changes necessarily required in the 900MHz radio spectrum dispute.

Earlier in the day, the digital economy bill was read out by the Queen in the House of Lords. Accorting to the government, the bill would ensure the realization of an infrastructure for communications, which best suits the digital age, besides boosting public service broadcasting, providing competitive communications and supporting future economic growth.

The digital economy bill further outlined that the controversial service disconnection plans for the persistent illegal downloaders would function as a process consisting of two stages. The first stage of the two according to the bill would be taking measures to make the consumers aware of the issues as well as the penalties they would be facing if they offended persistently.

The second stage would be the introduction of powers to disconnect the service for the persistent filesharers, if they refuse to put an end to their uncalled for activities even after receiving warning issued to them by the authorities. It is understood that by the spring of 2011, this proposal would become law.