[governance] Internet for All ... this time from the UK

[Guru]

We have been hearing about the US Gov (FCC) plans to provide broadband 
to all in the US, now there is a similar news item ... quote "* *We know 
that every aspect of our lives in local communities - every school, 
every hospital, every workplace and even every home - will be dependent 
on the services that the digital network provides."(though the report 
has been criticised by UK opposition for 'not doing enough!!')...

regards,
Guru


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7858498.stm

Broadband 'in every home by 2012'

Culture Secretary Andy Burnham outlines the report's interim findings

All UK homes should have access to broadband and faster download speeds 
by 2012, the government has said.

An interim report on the UK's digital future also looked at plans for 
public service broadcasting.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said digital technology was as important 
today as "roads, bridges and trains were in the 20th Century".

But the Conservatives said the report promised "no new action". The Lib 
Dems said it was a "complete damp squib".

Culture Secretary Andy Burnham told MPs it would help Britain secure a 
competitive low carbon economy in the next five to 10 years, adding the 
country "led the world in content creation".
   
Every aspect of our lives... will be dependent on the services that the 
digital network provides
Gordon Brown

The report called for everyone in the UK to have access to a broadband 
speed of up to two megabits per second (Mbps).

This would make internet connections capable of handling much more video 
and sites that offer greater interactivity.

By the time of the final report, the government will know whether 
internet service providers (ISPs) can build next generation networks 
themselves or if government help will be needed.

Parental control

Mr Burnham said that he wanted to ensure public services online were 
accessible to the widest range of people and wanted to "give parents the 
information and tools to protect [their] children from inappropriate 
content".

But opposition politicians said they were disappointed in the report.

   
READ THE FULL INTERIM REPORT

Digital Britain interim report(2MB)
Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need 
to download Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Download the reader here

At a glance: Digital Britain
Shadow culture minister Jeremy Hunt told BBC News it consisted of little 
more than promises to make more reports.

"We're very disappointed. We thought the report was going to contain a 
strategy. David Cameron has said the majority of the population should 
have access to high-speed broadband in five years. Instead they [the 
government] have announced another review.

*"In France and Germany they are laying fibre, in Japan they already 
have it. In Britain the average broadband speed is 3.6Mbps so what he 
[Andy Burnham] is talking about is getting half the current speed," he 
added.
*
"We're the second largest exporter of music and television and third for 
film. But when it comes to the distribution of digital content, we're 
lagging".

The report also looked at the issue of internet piracy. Mr Burnham said 
the government would look at setting up a new digital rights agency and 
wanted to introduce legislation requiring internet service providers to 
notify illegal file-sharers directly about their activity.

Kashvi Shah uses pay-as-you-surf 100Mbps broadband at her home in west 
London
Mr Burnham also examined the role Channel 4 would play in the future of 
public service broadcasting.

"The report identifies news at local, regional and national level and 
children's programming as amongst the key priorities," he said.

"The BBC - as an enabling force is central to this - strong and secure 
in its own future, working in partnership with others to deliver these 
objectives.

"We will also explore how we can establish a sustainable public service 
organisation which offers scale and reach alongside the BBC, building on 
the strength of Channel 4."

Communications watchdog Ofcom last week warned Channel 4 faced a bleak 
future unless a deal could be reached.

The Liberal Democrats said the minister had failed to live up to his 
promises.

Speaking to the BBC, the Lib Dem's culture, media and sport spokesman, 
Don Foster, said the report was "bitterly disappointing".

"In September, the minister said... 'Early in the New Year, Ofcom can 
conclude its review and the government can announce decisions and the 
process to implement those decisions'. But we have no decision," he said.

"He failed to rule out top slicing. He welcomed discussion between ITV 
and the BBC, between Channel 4 and the BBC, but no decision.

"We've spent lots of money on reviews, but all we now have is a strategy 
group, an umbrella body, a delivery group, a rights agency, a 
exploratory review, a digital champion and an expert task force.

"This report has been a complete damp squib."

Future radio
*The report also examined the future of radio. The culture secretary 
said digital audio broadcasting (DAB) will become the "primary 
distribution network", potentially giving notice for the end of 
traditional FM analogue radio.
*
The government will also look at how the digital switch-over scheme - 
introduced for TV - could be expanded to help the radio transition.

The prime minister, speaking at the New Local Government Network in 
central London, said that the digital economy would play a crucial part 
in lifting Britain out of recession.

"Today we have an interim report from Lord Carter setting out the scale 
of our ambition to compete in the digital economy and that's a market 
worth about £50bn a year," he said.

"It affects every community in our country who are looking for the best 
digital infrastructure, access to broadband, that we can offer them.
*
"We know that every aspect of our lives in local communities - every 
school, every hospital, every workplace and even every home - will be 
dependent on the services that the digital network provides."*

-- 
Gurumurthy Kasinathan
IT for Change
Bridging Development Realities and Technological Possibilities
Tel:98454 37730
www.ITforChange.net
http://Public-Software.in
http://India.IS-Watch.net 
http://IS-Watch.net
http://content-commons.in
*IT for Change is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with United Nations' Economic and Social Council*

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.igcaucus.org/pipermail/governance/attachments/20090130/21015b8a/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
____________________________________________________________
You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
     governance at lists.cpsr.org
To be removed from the list, send any message to:
     governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org

For all list information and functions, see:
     http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/info/governance