Factors Hindering Digital Britain’s Progress

 

The Digital Britain policy aims at making the whole of the UK, broadband capable by 2012. The policy was put forth by communications minister, Lord Stephen Carter. A combination of fixed line, wireless and mobile broadband services would be providing internet connectivity, with a speed of 2Mbps, throughout the country. While the final report of Digital Britain will be ready by May 2009, an interim report was published in January 2009.

The interim report has attracted lots of criticism. First of all, where broadband speed has increased in leaps and bounds, with some service providers offering express rates like 20Mbps and even a supreme 50Mbps, the government’s offer of 2Mbps sound like peanuts! When everyone is thinking super fast downloading and next-generation applications, the government’s offer seems to be a show stopper.

Digital Britain has also created some sleepless nights for O2 and Vodafone. These business broadband suppliers have been asked to give up some precious bandwidth from their 900MHz spectrum. These bandwidths would be auctioned to a third service provider, to achieve the government’s target of broadband for all citizens by 2012. O2 and Vodafone have been given a deadline till the end of April 2009, to arrive at a decision for spectrum trading, failing which the UK telco regulator, Ofcom, will impose a regulatory solution.

The two broadband providers have had talks with Lord Carter and Ofcom officials. While Vodafone seem to be agreeing with Ofcom’s spectrum trading proposition, O2 still seem hesitant. O2 feel that the concept of universal broadband is indeed very good. However, a mutual agreement must be reached regarding the surrender of spectrum. The chief executive of the company, Ronan Dunne, also expressed his fear of the UK lagging behind in progress in the digital age, if such disputes are not settled. He is of the opinion that the deployment of advanced next-generation technology, which offers high internet access speeds, would create many more job opportunities and generate more revenue. Moreover, the mobile industry, is one among the few who have not had a direct hit by the current economic downturn. Hence, he asserts that they can make a huge impact on the economy.

Digital Britain will also effect the UK gaming industry. There is an entire galaxy of games that require high bandwidth and broadband speeds for effective functioning. When broadband speeds of only 2Mbps are being offered, the gaming industry will surely have to see some cloudy days. Thus, the government’s policy has also received harsh criticism from the industry.

Despite the criticism being hurled at Lord Carter’s proposal like pots and pans, the communications minister is strongly defending his plan. He emphasises that by offering broadband to the entire nation, the government wants to ensure that all citizens can easily access government services and have an acceptable user experience as well. He also explained that there are some government services that are already available online and making the rest of them available will help save a lot of money and also let the citizens have control over their relationship with the government.

With things being quite uncertain, will the service providers, the gaming industry, the next-generation technology developers and the government arrive at an amicable solution? How successful is Digital Britain going to be? One needs to wait and watch.