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"No one should miss out" on broadband services
Wednesday 28th January 2009, by Daniel King
Consumers across the UK must be able to take advantage of affordable and reliable broadband services, it has been claimed.
Fiona Ballantyne, member for Scotland of the Communications Consumer Panel, claimed "no one should miss out" on the digital revolution in Britain.
Communications minister Lord Stephen Carter is currently formulating his action plan for Digital Britain, which will draw on expertise from across the government and the industry.
The report is expected to call for universal broadband access in the UK, along with a number of additional proposals intended to accelerate the UK's growth in the knowledge and learning economy.
Speaking at the Joint Westminster eForum and Westminster Media Forum keynote seminar, Ms Ballantyne claimed that the plans must be careful not to widen the "digitial divide" in the country.
She suggested that there "are signs that the gap not just between the haves and the have-nots, but between the have-a-littles and have-a-lots" could be increased if Britain does not take the right approach.
Ms Ballantyne stressed the importance of providing access to "pliable, easy-to-use services" for households and businesses across the UK to ensure equality.
"Access to the internet is coming to be considered an essential service by consumers," she revealed.
"Coming through ... quite strongly is the sense that access to broadband services is beginning to be seen as a right," Ms Ballantyne added.
Lord Carter had been due to publish his Digital Britain report towards the end of last week, but its release has now been delayed.
A statement from the department of culture, media and sport said the findings will now be published "before the end of the month".
Categories: Broadband
