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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Report lays out UK digital future | Report lays out UK digital future |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Every Briton with a fixed-line phone will pay a "small levy" of 50p per month to pay for faster net access. | Every Briton with a fixed-line phone will pay a "small levy" of 50p per month to pay for faster net access. |
| The national fund created by the levy will be used to ensure most Britons get access to future net technologies. | The national fund created by the levy will be used to ensure most Britons get access to future net technologies. |
| The proposal is part of the Digital Britain report outlined by Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw in Parliament. | The proposal is part of the Digital Britain report outlined by Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw in Parliament. |
| The report also includes a pledge to curb unlawful file sharing by giving regulator Ofcom given new powers to identify persistent pirates. | The report also includes a pledge to curb unlawful file sharing by giving regulator Ofcom given new powers to identify persistent pirates. |
| Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw announces legislation to curb unlawful file-sharing | |
| To encourage take-up of broadband services the government has appointed online entrepreneur Martha Lane Fox as the digital champion. | To encourage take-up of broadband services the government has appointed online entrepreneur Martha Lane Fox as the digital champion. |
| Mr Bradshaw told the Commons that the government intended to upgrade all national radio stations from analogue to digital by 2015. | Mr Bradshaw told the Commons that the government intended to upgrade all national radio stations from analogue to digital by 2015. |
| The report, commissioned by the government last year and written by communications minister Lord Carter, offers a blueprint for the UK's digital future. | The report, commissioned by the government last year and written by communications minister Lord Carter, offers a blueprint for the UK's digital future. |
| The main points outlined in the report include: | The main points outlined in the report include: |
| • a three-year plan to boost digital participation | • a three-year plan to boost digital participation |
| • universal access to broadband by 2012 | • universal access to broadband by 2012 |
| • fund to invest in next generation broadband | • fund to invest in next generation broadband |
| • digital radio upgrade by 2015 | • digital radio upgrade by 2015 |
| • liberalisation of 3G spectrum | • liberalisation of 3G spectrum |
| Levy to pay for broadband revolution | |
| • legal and regulatory attack on digital piracy | • legal and regulatory attack on digital piracy |
| • support for public service content partnerships | • support for public service content partnerships |
| • changed role for Channel 4 | • changed role for Channel 4 |
| • consultation on how to fund local, national and regional news | • consultation on how to fund local, national and regional news |
| One of the biggest surprises in the report was the promise to introduce a levy on fixed telephone lines in order to pay for broadband rollout. | One of the biggest surprises in the report was the promise to introduce a levy on fixed telephone lines in order to pay for broadband rollout. |
| It will amount to a 50p a month tax for every household in the country with a fixed phone line. | It will amount to a 50p a month tax for every household in the country with a fixed phone line. |
| "It is a contribution which we are asking people to make - it's six pounds a year - offset, as we make very clear in the report, by the likely continued reduction in headline prices because of the competitive market we have in this country," said report author Lord Carter. | |
| Alex Salter, from broadband measurement firm Sam Knows, doubts the levy will create enough money to bring next-generation access to every home. | Alex Salter, from broadband measurement firm Sam Knows, doubts the levy will create enough money to bring next-generation access to every home. |
| "It answers the main question from the last report which was who is going to pay. This is less expensive per capita than similar schemes, for example in Australia, but is unlikely to generate the full budget required - this will still have to come from the providers," he said. | "It answers the main question from the last report which was who is going to pay. This is less expensive per capita than similar schemes, for example in Australia, but is unlikely to generate the full budget required - this will still have to come from the providers," he said. |
| Communications minister Stephen Carter said that some £200m of funding would be spent to extend coverage to the 15% of UK homes which do not receive broadband at 2Mbps. | Communications minister Stephen Carter said that some £200m of funding would be spent to extend coverage to the 15% of UK homes which do not receive broadband at 2Mbps. |
| The government has pledged to complete this by 2012. | The government has pledged to complete this by 2012. |
| The majority of the money will come from funding ring-fenced in the BBC licence fee for the digital switchover. | The majority of the money will come from funding ring-fenced in the BBC licence fee for the digital switchover. |
| Some of this money will also be used to support regional news on commercial channels. | Some of this money will also be used to support regional news on commercial channels. |
| Backstop powers | Backstop powers |
| To combat the growing problem of illegal file-sharing the government has given greater powers to Ofcom and internet service providers. | To combat the growing problem of illegal file-sharing the government has given greater powers to Ofcom and internet service providers. |
| It will allow them to identify illegal downloaders and pursue a "write and sue" approach for the worst offenders. | It will allow them to identify illegal downloaders and pursue a "write and sue" approach for the worst offenders. |
| But the British Phonographic Industry, which represents the UK music industry, was not impressed. | But the British Phonographic Industry, which represents the UK music industry, was not impressed. |
| "The government appears to be anticipating its failure by lining up backstop powers for Ofcom to introduce technical measures later," said the BPI chief executive Geoff Taylor. | "The government appears to be anticipating its failure by lining up backstop powers for Ofcom to introduce technical measures later," said the BPI chief executive Geoff Taylor. |
| The shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt said the document was a "colossal disappointment." | |
| World class? | World class? |
| Gordon Brown on the impact of the Digital Britain report | Gordon Brown on the impact of the Digital Britain report |
| In a news conference ahead of the report's publication, Gordon Brown said it would pave the way to making Britain's digital infrastructure world class. | In a news conference ahead of the report's publication, Gordon Brown said it would pave the way to making Britain's digital infrastructure world class. |
| "Britain is going to lead the world. This is us taking the next step into the future to being the digital capital of the world. It is making sure no family or business misses out," he said. | "Britain is going to lead the world. This is us taking the next step into the future to being the digital capital of the world. It is making sure no family or business misses out," he said. |
| Currently Britain stands at about seventh in global broadband league tables, below nations such as Korea, Japan, Sweden and Norway. | Currently Britain stands at about seventh in global broadband league tables, below nations such as Korea, Japan, Sweden and Norway. |
| READ THE DIGITAL BRITAIN REPORT | READ THE DIGITAL BRITAIN REPORT |
| Digital Britain report(3MB) Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. | Digital Britain report(3MB) Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. |
| Download the reader here | Download the reader here |
| The digital and communications industry in the UK is said to be worth around £52bn a year. Report author and communications minister Lord Carter estimated that some 22 million Britons rely on the industry for their daily work. | The digital and communications industry in the UK is said to be worth around £52bn a year. Report author and communications minister Lord Carter estimated that some 22 million Britons rely on the industry for their daily work. |
| Digital Britain was launched in October 2008 to establish a framework for the UK's digital economy. There then followed eight months of lobbying and consultation with an interim report published in January. | Digital Britain was launched in October 2008 to establish a framework for the UK's digital economy. There then followed eight months of lobbying and consultation with an interim report published in January. |
| Lord Carter is due to quit his post during the summer recess. | Lord Carter is due to quit his post during the summer recess. |
| The report was a joint effort between the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. | The report was a joint effort between the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. |
| WHAT'S BEING SAID AROUND THE WEB | WHAT'S BEING SAID AROUND THE WEB |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown wrote a column in the Times this morning in anticipation of today's speech where he outlined why he thought the report was significant: | Prime Minister Gordon Brown wrote a column in the Times this morning in anticipation of today's speech where he outlined why he thought the report was significant: |
| I am determined that Britain's digital infrastructure will be world class. For me, it is all part of building Britain's future beyond the difficult, short-term economic conditions. | I am determined that Britain's digital infrastructure will be world class. For me, it is all part of building Britain's future beyond the difficult, short-term economic conditions. |
| Tim Bradshaw in the Financial Times Technology blog says protecting and promoting digital rights has been the most contentious part of the consultation: | Tim Bradshaw in the Financial Times Technology blog says protecting and promoting digital rights has been the most contentious part of the consultation: |
| The extreme stance - the "three strikes and you're out" approach to tackling rampant online piracy - is now unlikely to see the light of day, even in its native France. The French high court and the European Commission have both ruled that broadband access is a human right, even if you're using that right to regularly visit the Pirate Bay. That will please broadband providers, who don't want to disconnect their customers. | The extreme stance - the "three strikes and you're out" approach to tackling rampant online piracy - is now unlikely to see the light of day, even in its native France. The French high court and the European Commission have both ruled that broadband access is a human right, even if you're using that right to regularly visit the Pirate Bay. That will please broadband providers, who don't want to disconnect their customers. |
| Asavin Wattanajantra from the IT Pro blog says broadband provision plans will attract the most attention: | Asavin Wattanajantra from the IT Pro blog says broadband provision plans will attract the most attention: |
| The main recommendation grabbing most attention is a firm commitment towards 2Mbps broadband speeds for everybody in the UK, revealed in the interim report and firmly committed to in April's budget. However, new statistics from Opinium Research claim that 55% of the UK population believed 2Mbps was too slow for a minimum speed. | The main recommendation grabbing most attention is a firm commitment towards 2Mbps broadband speeds for everybody in the UK, revealed in the interim report and firmly committed to in April's budget. However, new statistics from Opinium Research claim that 55% of the UK population believed 2Mbps was too slow for a minimum speed. |
| The computer programmer who runs the blog Amused Cynicism has an idea about how the licence fee should change: | The computer programmer who runs the blog Amused Cynicism has an idea about how the licence fee should change: |
| If the licence fee is going to be divvied up between different content producers, it shouldn't be done by the government deciding who gets what. Instead, each license fee payer should decide for themselves where their TV licence money goes. | If the licence fee is going to be divvied up between different content producers, it shouldn't be done by the government deciding who gets what. Instead, each license fee payer should decide for themselves where their TV licence money goes. |
| Gadget Guru speculates on what to expect from the report for broadband, online piracy, media ownership, Channel 4, BBC Worldwide and regional news, predicting the report won't be definitive: | Gadget Guru speculates on what to expect from the report for broadband, online piracy, media ownership, Channel 4, BBC Worldwide and regional news, predicting the report won't be definitive: |
| Carter and the former culture secretary, Andy Burnham, have already begun managing expectations around tomorrow's report. Burnham has said not to expect a "tablet of stone" but "powerful seeds and ideas" from which the future of public service broadcasting might be shaped. | Carter and the former culture secretary, Andy Burnham, have already begun managing expectations around tomorrow's report. Burnham has said not to expect a "tablet of stone" but "powerful seeds and ideas" from which the future of public service broadcasting might be shaped. |
| The Connecting Bristol blog proclaims that Bristol is ready for Lord Carter's report: | The Connecting Bristol blog proclaims that Bristol is ready for Lord Carter's report: |
| On the eve of Lord Carter's final Digital Britain Report our latest city data shows that Bristol's residents are ready and waiting 3 in every 4 are already regular Internet users who have used the Web in the last week. | On the eve of Lord Carter's final Digital Britain Report our latest city data shows that Bristol's residents are ready and waiting 3 in every 4 are already regular Internet users who have used the Web in the last week. |