The government has finally found a replacement for Lord Carter, the man best known for authoring that controversial Digital Britain report, which set out future plans for improving UK broadband services and coverage. Treasury Minister, Stephen Timms, is now expected to take on responsibility for putting the report into action.

Timms, being a former technology analyst and an ex-Minister of State for Competitiveness and Communications until 2008, is certainly not unfamiliar with tackling broadband related problems. He had to handle many similar dilemmas during a spell as Communications Minister nearly two years ago.

His new job will mean making sure that everybody in the UK can access a minimum broadband speed of 2Mbps by 2012 and helping to foster faster next-gen broadband services via the Next Generation Fund (50p per month tax on all fixed phone lines). He will also have to tackle the Mobile Broadband spectrum stand-off and implement measures to help combat illegal file-sharing by UK ISP users.

Related News (June 2009):
UK Digital Britain - Universal 2Mbps Rural Broadband Solutions
UK Digital Britain - Illegal Broadband ISP File Sharing Solutions
UK Digital Britain - Tax on Phone Lines to Fund Next Gen Broadband