Broadband News

According to the Government, one in four of the recommendations set out in the Digital Britain white paper have been achieved. Meanwhile, a new pilot scheme's been launched that could ultimately offer help to the 11.6 million adults who lack the basic IT skills to get online.

Digital kitten

When it comes to making Digital Britain a reality, the powers that be are irritatingly good at sneaking out the relevant documentation. First the actual Implementation Plan itself almost passed everyone by, and now the Implementation Update - which covers the six months since the white paper was published - has nearly done the same.

The final Digital Britain report was unveiled on June 16th last year - and the Government's claiming strong process has been made since then. "Around a quarter of the actions and recommendations set out in the White Paper have been completed in the first six months of implementation," according to its latest report.

Alongside the obvious ones - the Digital Economy Bill being published, for example, or Martha Lane Fox's latest work in trying to get the unconnected online - there's a few other points worth quoting. The following are in relation to the famous Digital Service Commitment:-

• As the first step towards the delivery of a £200 million Universal Service Commitment at 2Mbit/s, the Government is preparing the details of how the procurement will be designed and structured, including discussion with industry and consumer bodies, with a view to commencing the tender [later this] year.


• Officials are working with the Devolved Administrations to gather market information from around the UK and leverage existing schemes where possible. We are also working with Intellect, the ICT trade association, to draw up outline technical specifications for a 2Mbit/s service.


• Significant progress has been made towards agreement on funding to support localised and community networks through the Independent Networks Co-operative Association (INCA).

"Online basics"

The update also points out that further progress is even being made right now, as you read. That's because the Government's just launched its new pilot for the National Plan for Digital Participation: "Online basics." Starting this week, it's been formulated in response to a review of ICT skills led by Baroness Estelle Morris, which indicated there are around 11.6 million adults "who do not have basic IT skills to help them get to grips with technology."

The scheme, which includes thrilling modules on everything from "using a mouse and keyboard" to "keeping safe online," will be piloted at online centres in Barnsley, Oldham, Gloucester, Devon and London. "Everyone should be a confident user of the Internet if they are to participate fully in today’s digital society," declared dark Lord Peter Mandelson. "Being online brings a range of personal benefits, including financial savings, educational attainment, improved salary prospects and independent living for older people."

However, if so many people currently have so little technological understanding, a genuinely Digital Britain still seems a distant dream. Even if a quarter of the recommendations it set out, that's more of a numerical quirk than any real indication of progress; with eighty proposals were included in the white paper, some are of course easier and faster to achieve than others. As for the "Online basics" pilot, it has got a fixed timetable and will come to a close in March.