Broadband News
News, views and analysis
Universal Service Commitment - one year on.
25 May 2010 | 11.06 Europe/London
It is coming up to one year since the Digital Britain report postulated a Universal Service Commitment for delivery by 2012.
At the time it looked optimistic to claim "universal" coverage of "2M" broadband would be delivered within three and a bit years, but one year down the line it is looking even less likely. Carter's "Network Design and Procurement Group" was supposed to be in place by Autumn 2009 but it took until March 2010 for a CEO of what became "Broadband Delivery UK" to be appointed, just in time to disappear into the silence of electoral purdah. As yet BDUK does not even have a single web page to its name, let alone a blog or other visible sign of activity.
A Lords' parliamentary question revealed that BDUK has a budget of £3m and is a unit within the BIS department. We look forward to some public information on what they are up to and how they are going to deliver this Holy Grail. The Coalition's programme for government says nothing about the USC but it is clearly committed to openness and communication by groups like BDUK - how about it, Mr Kamellard ?
[ Digital Britain USC ] [ BDUK ]
At the time it looked optimistic to claim "universal" coverage of "2M" broadband would be delivered within three and a bit years, but one year down the line it is looking even less likely. Carter's "Network Design and Procurement Group" was supposed to be in place by Autumn 2009 but it took until March 2010 for a CEO of what became "Broadband Delivery UK" to be appointed, just in time to disappear into the silence of electoral purdah. As yet BDUK does not even have a single web page to its name, let alone a blog or other visible sign of activity.
A Lords' parliamentary question revealed that BDUK has a budget of £3m and is a unit within the BIS department. We look forward to some public information on what they are up to and how they are going to deliver this Holy Grail. The Coalition's programme for government says nothing about the USC but it is clearly committed to openness and communication by groups like BDUK - how about it, Mr Kamellard ?
[ Digital Britain USC ] [ BDUK ]
I believe BDUK is actively working with the final third first group and others. Perhaps when they have something interesting to say they will get round to doing a webpage, until then we live in hope that they will pull this thing together and get some action. Just attended an RDA consultation this morning, and they have finally realised that to deliver a digital economy they will have to Do Something. The general feeling round the room was that councils have a role to play, and joined up thinking would reduce the cost of deployment drastically. A very optimistic meeting where everyone went away knowing they had a role to play. I have hope for the future, and the Queen's speech also said pretty much the same, so at last, we can Begin. I agree with Phil, a year down the line and nothing much has happened, but many seeds have been sown and are now germinating. Power to the People.
25 May 2010 | 13.27 Europe/London
aren't RDAs on the way out ? I believe the whole BDUK process needs to be transparent and visible and not confined to meetings with special interest groups , lobbyists and other vested interests - otherwise it's cast in stone by the time it sees daylight.
25 May 2010 | 14.10 Europe/London
cd - just read a (probably expensive) SW RDA report. Just churns some numbers and basically tells people on long lines from particular exchanges there is no hope in the short/medium term for anything better.
It's no help saying that x% in a county have >2M, what matters is each individual property.
25 May 2010 | 15.29 Europe/London
I met someone who works for BDUK yesterday. There are five people working there, apparently. I agree, a bit more visibility would be nice, sure they'll get some heckling, but they might get some useful input too.
26 May 2010 | 13.39 Europe/London