By: MarkJ - 16 June, 2009 (5:15 PM) - Views: 1531 - Categories: Fixed Line Broadband, Satellite, Wi-Fi, Mobile Broadband
Despite some contrary predictions - today's Digital Britain report has seen the government giving its official approval to a new Universal Service Commitment (USC), which aims to make broadband speeds of 2Mbps available to everybody in the UK by 2012. This will be delivered through "upgrades to the existing copper and wireless networks."
Sadly there's precious little meat in terms of precisely how the government plans to do this, other than reiterating the somewhat vague line of our initial paragraph above; though the new tax on telephones lines (original news) to help fund next generation broadband for more remote locations will also play a part.
The report also sets out to push for a rapid transition to next generation high-speed Mobile Broadband (3G) services, which includes helping to foster progress towards universal coverage of related services without sacrificing market competition.
However part of this process will include 2G liberalisation; making older spectrum available to newer 3G services. This will require a further process of Guiding Technical Arbitration because some of the operators have not yet reached a firm agreement on the matter.. oops.
The Government has also proposed to make the existing operators’ 3G licences indefinite rather than term licences in order to provide certainty for investment and an incentive towards a universal roll-out. Before 2012/13 this is estimated to provide in-building speeds of perhaps 1Mbps and could be boosted by an external aerial to make a contribution towards the wider USC.
Frustratingly the report concentrates far too much on download speed and doesn’t even mention the importance of upstream performance or latency. The affordability and flexibility angles are indirectly hinted at but, in terms of making sure that the USC technologies are affordable for those on lower incomes, there is nothing concrete.
There is precious little point in a 2Mbps USO if the services are too expensive or unable to cope with modern day and growing levels of rich content usage, such as from video sites, multiplayer gaming and Internet voice (VoIP) calls.
UPDATE - 17th June 2009 - 2pm:
Some additions to the details.
Sadly there's precious little meat in terms of precisely how the government plans to do this, other than reiterating the somewhat vague line of our initial paragraph above; though the new tax on telephones lines (original news) to help fund next generation broadband for more remote locations will also play a part.
The Report States:
The Universal Service Commitment will be delivered by a mix of technologies: DSL , Fibre to the Street Cabinet [ FTTC ], wireless [ Mobile Broadband , Wi-Fi ] and possibly Satellite infill. It will be funded from £200m from direct public funding and enhanced by five other sources:
- commercial gain through tender contract and design,
- contributions in kind from private partners,
- contributions from other public sector organisations in the nations and regions who benefit from the increased connectivity,
- the consumer directly for in-home upgrading,
- and the value of wider coverage obligations on mobile operators arising from the wider mobile spectrum package.
The Commitment will be delivered through the Network Design and Procurement Group, with a CEO appointed in the Autumn.
The Universal Service Commitment will be delivered by a mix of technologies: DSL , Fibre to the Street Cabinet [ FTTC ], wireless [ Mobile Broadband , Wi-Fi ] and possibly Satellite infill. It will be funded from £200m from direct public funding and enhanced by five other sources:
- commercial gain through tender contract and design,
- contributions in kind from private partners,
- contributions from other public sector organisations in the nations and regions who benefit from the increased connectivity,
- the consumer directly for in-home upgrading,
- and the value of wider coverage obligations on mobile operators arising from the wider mobile spectrum package.
The Commitment will be delivered through the Network Design and Procurement Group, with a CEO appointed in the Autumn.
The report also sets out to push for a rapid transition to next generation high-speed Mobile Broadband (3G) services, which includes helping to foster progress towards universal coverage of related services without sacrificing market competition.
However part of this process will include 2G liberalisation; making older spectrum available to newer 3G services. This will require a further process of Guiding Technical Arbitration because some of the operators have not yet reached a firm agreement on the matter.. oops.
The report notes: "The aim of these proposals is to ensure that each of the five existing operators and potential new entrants can bid with a realistic opportunity of acquiring sufficient spectrum to build out a next generation mobile network capable of broadband speeds of 50Mbps in the main urban and suburban markets going down to perhaps 4-5Mbps in the more rural areas."
The Government has also proposed to make the existing operators’ 3G licences indefinite rather than term licences in order to provide certainty for investment and an incentive towards a universal roll-out. Before 2012/13 this is estimated to provide in-building speeds of perhaps 1Mbps and could be boosted by an external aerial to make a contribution towards the wider USC.
Frustratingly the report concentrates far too much on download speed and doesn’t even mention the importance of upstream performance or latency. The affordability and flexibility angles are indirectly hinted at but, in terms of making sure that the USC technologies are affordable for those on lower incomes, there is nothing concrete.
There is precious little point in a 2Mbps USO if the services are too expensive or unable to cope with modern day and growing levels of rich content usage, such as from video sites, multiplayer gaming and Internet voice (VoIP) calls.
UPDATE - 17th June 2009 - 2pm:
Some additions to the details.
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Comments: 5
SledgehammerPosted: 16 June, 2009 - 6:08 PM
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This report looks very much like a "damp squib". The sting in the tail is the 50p we will be taxed to help provide 2mbps BB to those people that can't get it now. Who will collect the tax? BT. Will this tax ever be recinded when the whole of the UK can receive 2mbps, I doubt it. Plus there are bound the some people that don't have a phone line and don't need BB as well as those that do have a phone line and don't want BB.
curtisPosted: 16 June, 2009 - 6:27 PM
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Fine they say it will cost us about 50p a month or £6.00 a year but they have not taken in to account VAT at moment it is at 15% and it is due increase in the new year with all the Governments borrowing it may be increased to 18.75% and this will refect on our invoices and be alot more than 50p?+
TAXESPosted: 16 June, 2009 - 11:58 PM
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Easy way, get rid of BT line connection. Use cable broadband only (without any phone line) which it tax-free!
It stupid to pay £6 a year on phone tax but we already pay VAT on BT line rental, why do we pay more ?
Labour is on the way OUT - General Election please !
SledgehammerPosted: 18 June, 2009 - 9:17 AM
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One other small point I know of at least 5 households in my area that are capable of receiving broardband but don't want it and have no interest in computers. Magnify this over the whole of the country and that will add up to a small fortune to the ISP's. Plus it would add more pressure on the existing network.
telbagsPosted: 16 February, 2010 - 8:14 AM
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as a rural user, with a telephone line but no broadband (max of 0.2Mg signal as nearest exchange is so far away) I would gladly support this but I believe that payment for this should come from the already ridiculously rich telephone companies - have you seen their profits in the last 5 years...
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