Lord Carter and Vivianne Reding Explain the Digital Hopes of Europe Amidst Criticism

The UK minister of communications, technology and broadcasting, Lord Stephen Carter, along with Vivianne Reding, the EU commissioner for media and telecommunications, have put forth an explanation on why the hopes of Europe for a recovery from the present economic downturn, lied in the digital infrastructure and industries of the continent. Incidentally, this briefing follows the Digital Britain report, which was published last month.

The duo flashed light to the prevailing condition of the digital technology straddling every routine aspect in the country, including schools, hospitals, workplaces and even homes, in a way or other. According to them, it was the critical sector for not only the modern knowledge economies of the people, but also the future growth. They stressed on the point that the digital industry of Europe required to be the centre of the people’s thoughts, as the governments across the continent were looking for ways to put the economies on the path to recovery, as well as for seizing the future opportunities for a boost in the economy.

The duo’s recommendation of enhancing the i2010 strategy, launched in 2005 by the European Commission primarily ensuring that Europe had a world class wired, as well as wireless digital infrastructure, which reached all Europeans by 2013 has received a cold welcome it seems. The comments section of the Daily Telegraph alone showed more than a dozen comments unanimously flaying the proposal, blaming them to be catch phrases, waffle or smooth talking cliches.

Moreover, the claim of the duo that the released spectrum resulting from the pan-European switch-over of the existing analogue TV to digital TV will be used for the rollout of the emerging pan European wireless services at an estimated cost between Euro 150 and Euro 200 billion without costing the taxpayer a penny, also has invoked bitter criticism. A critics point on the context was quite conspicuous probing whose money was EU planning to spend, if it was not the taxpayer’s.

Lord Carter’s pet Digital Britain claim too, pushed through the briefing that it set out the ambitions of the UK for its digital economy to lead its future industrial capability, as well as competitiveness by the creation of an advanced digital infrastructure, conversion of innovation and research into market-beating products and services and finally by the establishment of a smarter and more joined-up government also was flayed by the critics who used strong expressions such as -

• The government spend twelve working hours perfecting out ways to sensor and emasculate the internet, for every hour spent on initiating the Digital Britain concept

• If one was getting to pay the bills, browse the internet and watch a few telly programmes using the broadband connection even from 2005, with a 2002 model computer, what was the relevance of 100Mbps or 5Mbps for most

Finally, the call-out from the duo to make it essential the resolution of issues concerning the licensing of rights for online services across the area of the twenty seven member states of the EU, apart from ensuring a copyright framework, which was not only copyright friendly, but also favoured creativity and innovation alike, was also flailed by the critics. The point put forth here by the critic that the European diktat stood for the creation of a government-controlled broadband network where digital content would be constantly monitored for the record companies’ benefits, which was ostensible obviously would attract a couple more of the same feather.