The Views of the Ofcom Chief Ed Richards on the Future UK Broadband Segment
Ed Richards is the chief of the telecom watchdog of the UK, Ofcom, which is responsible for the regulating of not only telecom services, but also the television and radio in the UK. The telecoms services subject to his jurisdiction comprises of broadband internet connections and mobile phone networks.
Ofcom had recently been in the limelight for its putting forth a remarkable concept – the Digital Britain that referred to a United Kingdom where all the citizens enjoyed access to the internet broadband connection. However, this concept of Ofcom was opposed by many on the grounds of the ordinary speeds of up to 2Mbps it offered.
A week back, Ofcom was again in news after it made clear its policy of encouraging the companies who aspired to invest in the superfast broadband segment. It had substatiated its stand by opening a throughway to BT by promising it the discretionary powers to fix the rates its rivals had to pay for accessing its super-fast broadband service.
Ed Richards, in an interview thrown out in the broadband subject made it clear that they were concerned about consumer transparency. He linked it with Ofcom’s publishing a code of practice for the ISPs, by which the consumers could receive accurate and clear information on caps and speeds at the very point of sales itself.
He also stated that the ambition of the government was to set a universal service commitment for broadband that did not necessarily mean fibre-for-all. According to him, the government simply wanted to ensure that the new generation broadband speeds are availed to all, even if that was something around 2Mbps delivered by wireless or copper means.
In his views on providing homes reasonable broadband speeds under the new scheme of things, he stressed the point that many big businesses in the UK already enjoyed fibre connections, and the announcement made by Ofcom would definitely benefit the small and medium business firms, rather than homes.
On asked whether Ofcom had any plans to boost the infrastructure competition in Britain, above simply reselling or retailing competition, he said that the plans set out by them on superfast broadband would ensure that there was scope for wholesale competition as well. He said that however, it was important to keep both forms of competition going.
Ed Richards who adorns the position once adorned by Lord Stephen Carter, also stated that the next steps of Ofcom will be taken with a view to gain much higher data rates that would be something around 50Mbps, and they would also be expecting to see greater developments in the future regarding higher broadband speeds.
