Promise ‘em 4Mbps, if You Truly Want to Give ‘em 2Mbps Broadband

Although the government of the United Kingdom, through their minister for communication, technology and broadcasting, Lord Stephen Carter, had yielded a promise to the people in the country that by the end 2012, every home in the country would be provided a broadband connection of 2Mbps speed. The promise that has little less than stirred the hornest’s nest in the country, is itself found in doldrums, despite the desperate announcement of a couple of levies to fuel it. The big problem faced by the government at present is a comprehensive rollout of broadband in the country regardless of the speeds, which itself is found a demanding task. All thanks to the warring mobile broadband suppliers and the exorbitant satellite broadband costs.

Let us hope that the government, with the impetus provided by the new radio spectrum allocation or the reallocation of the spectrum, or whatever that be called, bridges the broadband gaps left over after the fixed line (copper) rollout, successfully. However, one can never expect that the mobile broadband providers who would be signing the deal under duress, would risk their profits by toiling to provide wireless broadband service of the speeds promised in sparcely populated remote areas. Even a blindfolded commoner would not wait to bode that the operators will split capacity to hold back the internet access speeds. So once again the spotlight moves to focus on the rookie satellite broadband sector.

Let aside a bit, the government’s viable alternatives – mobile and satellite broadband- to have a close look on the fixed line expected to cover over 70 percent of the country’s area. The ADSL technology that will be engaged here would only be able to deliver maximum speeds of up to 8Mbps. And speeds anywhere near the maximum speed would only be achievable to those households located next door to the exchanges. This lays bare another daunting fact that as the distance from the exchange increases, proportionally decreases the speeds for accessing the internet. It is almost impossible to add copper as well, to the lines to combat with a heavier load due to an increase in the number of connections, which is on the other hand possible in fibre lines.

Therefore, as an elite and responsible Briton, you can gently request the government to reconsider the promise of a 2Mbps universal broadband rollout. The predominant reason for this rests in the fact that any broadband user in the country at present – of both mobile and fixed line broadband services – is not able to get even three fourth of the promised internet access speeds. Read this along with another fact that the universal broadband rollout points to one that even covers the sparcely populated remote parts of the country that would come about a third of the nation’s geographical area. If a broadband user in the urban area is only getting around half the promised speeds, you well can imagine the situation that would prevail after a tiring cross-nation rollout.

Therefore, how about urging the government to reissue the promise; this time highlighted by a 4Mbps universal broadband rollout commitment, with a bold entailment that ‘You Will Get 2Mbps Speed’. Hope this will not be a big deal, for promises, or what else, are usually made to be unkept. Take broadband analyst Chuck Doherty’s lines on the man who made all the promises, “Here is Lord Carter, a visionary whose words no ears took captive.”

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