By Tim Ferguson, 4 September 2008 16:29
NEWS
UK regions currently without broadband should be at the head of the queue when it comes to the getting next generation networks, according to Ofcom.
The regulator's Consumer Panel said in a new report communities that missed out on the initial broadband roll-out should leapfrog other areas this time around.
Tech Hotspots: The list
1. Silicon Valley
2. Bangalore
3. London
4. Tokyo
5. Boston
6. Cambridge
7. Shanghai
8. Tel Aviv
9. Seoul
10.Beijing
11.Chennai
12.Pune
13.Singapore
14.Helsinki
15.Moscow
16.Hong Kong
17.Hyderabad
18.New York
19.Sydney
20.Shenzhen
Chair of the Ofcom Consumer Panel, Anna Bradley said the issue of serving broadband-less areas needs to be addressed before work begins on installing the next generation networks. "We already know that the economic case for next generation access will not stack up in some areas and we can predict which areas that will be," she said. "So let's address these issues alongside commercial roll-out, not after it," she said in a statement.
A Consumer Panel spokeswoman told silicon.com: "We're not asking for ISPs to pay but we could nevertheless ask Ofcom to make clear what the shape of regulation could be so that the cost implications are clear."
She added: "It's about asking [ISPs] to identify where the black spots are and then look at alternative funding models."
Next generation broadband could bring speeds of up to 100Mbps which Ofcom says should deliver new services which will bring "huge benefits" to UK consumers, including giving hard-to-rearch regions access to telemedicine and remote eduction.
According to recent statistics from the Office of National Statistics, one third of UK homes are still without internet access.
Comments
There is 1 comment. Join the discussion
1. Peter Morgan
As well as those without any broadband access (under 50 exchanges, as far as I know - though some might be completely unrealistic if they happen to be offshore island communities), I think there should also be some priority given to those communities where despite being Market 3 there are many who cannot get speeds above 1 Mbps because of distance from the exchange serving them.
Fibre to the cabinet would help those communities, probably slightly more rural than most, whilst BT may be tempted to push its cash into serving city dwellers who have the likes of Be/O2, Sky, and cable services offering 16/24/50 Mbps.
I hope OFCOM (and the Welsh Assembly) realise that it's not just 'no access' that puts a household/business at a disadvantage, but what are now becoming "slow" connections, too.