DIGITAL BRITAIN: Final report announced by culture secretary Ben Bradshaw

Digital Britain

  • To ensure all can access and benefit from the network of today, we confirm our intention to deliver the Universal Service Broadband Commitment at 2Mbps by 2012.
  • This can be delivered through upgrades to the existing copper and wireless networks.
  • We also propose public support for the network of tomorrow so that consumers in the Final Third who will not be reached by the market can enjoy next generation broadband.
  • The Universal Service Commitment will be delivered by a mix of technologies:
    DSL, fibre to the street cabinet, wireless and possibly satellite infill.
  • The Next Generation Final Third project. Next generation broadband networks
  • The Government believes the fairest and most efficient means of ensuring that the overwhelming majority of the country has access to next generation broadband is to create an independent Next Generation Fund, based on a supplement of 50 pence per month on all fixed copper lines
  • A rapid transition to next generation high-speed mobile broadband
  • Progress towards universal coverage in 3G and Next Generation Mobile, reliable coverage throughout the rail network and mobile coverage on the London Underground
  • Maintaining a highly competitive mobile market.
  • Ensure that each of the five existing operators and potential new entrants can bid for sufficient spectrum to build out a next generation mobile network capable of broadband speeds of 50Mbps in the main urban and suburban markets going, down to perhaps 4-5Mbps in the more rural areas.
  • The Government proposes to make the existing operators' 3G licences indefinite rather than term licences in order to provide certainty for investment and an incentive towards greater roll-out towards universality.
  • Government enforces its belief that piracy of intellectual property for profit is theft and will be pursued as such through the criminal law.
  • The Government believes that most people, given a reasonable choice would much prefer not o do wrong or break the law.
  • Aim to provide a framework that encourages the growth of legal markets for downloading that are inexpensive, convenient and easily accessible for consumers.
  • Aim to provide for a graduated response by rights-holders and ISPs so that they can use the civil law to the full to deter the hard core of users who wilfully continue unlawful activity
  • The Government intends to provide initially for Ofcom to have a duty to secure a significant reduction in unlawful file sharing by imposing two specific obligations: notification of unlawful activity and, for repeat-infringers, a court-based process of identity release and civil action.
  • The Government is also providing for intermediate technical measures by ISPs, such as bandwidth reduction or protocol blocking, if the two main obligations have been reasonably tried but shown not to have worked within a reasonable but also reasonably brisk period.
  • As part of the Government's desire to encourage inexpensive but legal consumer access to digital content, we will also make some changes to the legislative framework around copyright licensing, to tackle problems such as those surrounding the use of so-called orphan works and thus help digital markets in those works to develop.
Latest in AV
Google TV Streamer on a white background
Google TV's latest update adds a secret feature that could hint towards new hardware
iPhone 16e in black and white on a white background
Apple Event 2025: the new iPhone 16e (not SE 4), but no new HomePod or AirPods
LG QNED91 65-inch LCD TV
HDMI 2.2: everything you need to know about the new TV connection
Sky Glass Gen 2 on stand with Rewind logo
Rewind: hi-fi treats from McIntosh and TEAC, Sky Glass TV Gen 2, Apple launch announcement and more
Apple HomePod 2
3 Apple audio and home cinema products we want, but probably won't see, at the iPhone SE 4's anticipated launch
Samsung HW-Q990F soundbar package on a grey backdrop sitting below a TV
Google and Samsung’s Dolby Atmos rival should be coming to Android TVs, too
Latest in News
Musical Fidelity B1xi
Musical Fidelity's new stereo amplifier houses HDMI ARC and a built-in phono stage
A close-up of the FiiO FT7 headphones' earcups.
FiiO's FT7 flagship headphones take the fight to pricier rivals
A grey WiiM Vibelink Amp on a wooden cabinet between two bookshelf speakers.
The WiiM Vibelink Amp is WiiM's first integrated amp with no streaming elements
Q Acoustics 3050i
Save £650 on this five-star Q Acoustics 5.1 home cinema setup
Optoma Photon Go on white background
Optoma's new on-the-go projector is set to be one of the cheaper USTs on the market
Marantz Cinema 30 AVR
Our Award-winning reference Marantz AVR is still selling at its best price ever