As well as being shoehorned out of the European Championship, it seems that the UK is still lagging behind Europe and the rest of the world when it comes to broadband speeds. According to the Guardian, a crisis summit is due to be held today, with members of the Government, the industry and the regulator Ofcom to discuss how the UK can keep up with the accelerating networks of practically everywhere else in the world.
Again, the BSG (Broadband Stakeholders Group) the government’s independent advisory body will spell out the long term benefits future proofing the UK’s broadband infrastructure will have for the economy. If bandwidth-scoffing video on demand video services like the BBC iPlayer, 4oD, You Tube, and popular gaming platforms like Xbox Live and Wii Ware are to remain popular and grow, then action is needed.
A meeting held last November organised by Stephen Timms, former e-commerce minister, mooted that the total cost of a full nationwide fibre-to-the-premises network providing 50Mbps to 100Mbps speeds would cost in and around £15bn to £16bn at the most.
BT and Virgin Media have both started rolling out their own experimental fibre optics beds, and H20 networks recently announced plans to connect homes in Dundee and Bournemouth to next-gen dark fibre networks. The BSG however are urging for public money to be ploughed into the project, which is probably the best place for it, instead of it going toward nanny’s fees or second mortgages.
The BSG stresses the importance of setting up some sort of long term game plan for investment, advising against immediately ploughing in the cash; “Next-generation broadband has the potential to transform the way we do things. It is tempting to jump in feet first, but it matters more to do this right than to do it now,” said Antony Walker, chief executive of the Group.
But Walker also said that time was of the essence. “On the other hand, the UK cannot wait too long. If widespread network deployment didn’t happen in the medium term - perhaps three to five years - then… the UK could be losing out.”
Speeds of up to 100Mbps are already being enjoyed by users in Japan, Korea, and selected areas in France and the Netherlands.
Similar Posts: