UK Government Expects Generous Funding For Broadband

Lord Mandelson, the business secretary of Britain stated in his speech at a London government summit with Digital Britain as the predominant subject to discuss, that under the present plans of the government to set up a country wide superfast broadband network, they could not ignore the fact that a crucial technology might go begging in the existing conditions for half of the UK population.

He also hinted at the possibilities of government initiated fund raising to ensure the roll out of a wider next generation broadband network. It is also interesting that these words from the trade secretary came just a few hours after the prime minister had explained in the same meeting the critical requirement of implementing a basic broadband with universal service obligation to take the UK economy to competitive heights.

Although, the main subject of the summit was obviously Digital Britain that is the brainchild of Lord Carter, the need of the hour of the next generation broadband network that refers to optic fibre cable that effectuates internet access speeds of up to 100Mbps or even more. Remember that the Digital Britain interim report of Lord Carter only stresses a universal broadband network of 2Mbps speed to the whole of Britain.

Here, Lord Mandelson’s comments were exactly on the new generation broadband network that only half of the total UK population is likely to get access to. Moreover, it is expected that this status would be carried on at least for the next ten years. He also mentioned the wireless radio spectrum (controversy) re-distribution that would play the key role in covering the least accessible areas of the UK through mobile broadband expansion.