The government review into how internet service
providers (ISPs) can be encouraged to build super-fast broadband
networks will only be worthwhile if policies follow and are put
into place as policies before April 2009, according to a report
from the Broadband Stakeholders Group (BSG).
The broadband minister Shriti Vadera
announced a review to be published in September 2008 into how
government could remove barrriers, such as road work costs, for
operators investing in fast broadband networks.
Industry experts argue that
policies on rolling out fast broadband will have to be
implemented quickly because the time involved in building networks
nationwide could take years.
"Upgrading current broadband networks and deploying next
generation ones does not happen overnight. Even once they are ready
the benefits to UK businesses can take up to three years," said
Jupiter Research analyst Ian Fogg.
Delaying nationwide roll out of fast broadband could harm the
UK's ability to attract inward investment. This is particularly the
case in the manufacturing sector, as companies increasingly look
for high speed communication links when choosing to cite operations
said Carolyn Kimber, chairman of the Communications Management
Association, part of the British Computing Society.
"The report by the BSG forecast that the UK had a 24 month
window of opportunity in which to move next generation broadband
from pipe dream to reality. That was in April last year. The clock
is now 10 months down and ticking."
The BSG report said that the government needed to ensure that
the UK ranked highly in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development (OECD) list of nations for broadband quality and
reach by 2012. The UK lags behind countries
such as Japan and France in headline speeds.
Competitiveness Minister Stephen Timms, who was previously in
charge of broadband until the cabinet reshuffle, held a debate with
the UK's leading ISPs in November to discuss ways the government
could improve broadband coverage.
But findings from this meeting have not been made public nor
were the findings referenced in the government announcement
concerning the review in February.
David Harrington, CMA Regulatory Affairs Forum leader, said that
the purpose of the November summit was to develop a "vision
statement" to set the context for future investment and establish
future priorities.
"But if that was the case, why is the government going over old
ground again? I support the government's review, I just hope that
some concrete actions come out of this review in time," he
said.
The government review will consider the impact of barriers on
both speed and reach of a likely deployment of next generation
broadband. The Broadband Stakeholders Group will report later this
year on the economic case for fibre deployment in the UK.