Business minister Peter Mandelson is expected to oversee the
execution of the government's new communications strategy once
communications czar Stephen Carter publishes it in the
final Digital Britain report next week.
Carter, who is expected to leave the government, may be heading
for ITV1, where his skills in turning struggling companies such as
NTL and Telewest, now Virgin Media, into survivors would be
welcomed.
The Digital Britain report will contain what Carter was able to
negotiate between government, the opposition and the communications
sector.
The report is expected to leave some questions unanswered, such
as how to fund the universal broadband service obligation and how
to detect and enforce actions against commercial illegal
filesharers.
Carter was brought in from the private sector by Gordon Brown
about 18 months ago to develop a joined-up communications
policy.
The increasing dependency of the entire economy on high-speed
communications means almost every aspect of life in Britain could
be affected by the policy. This created a complex and politically
fraught environment in which to develop policy.