Monthly Archives - December 2003

Options for accelerating the deployment of terrestrial fixed and portable wireless broadband services by 2005

Wireless broadband technologies have the potential to play a critical role in the development of Broadband Britain and will be essential for: extending platform competition across the UK market; extending broadband coverage to rural areas; and enabling the introduction of new higher speed next generation broadband services.

In its second annual report the BSG highlighted wireless broadband technologies as having the potential to make the biggest impact on extending coverage and enhancing competition by 2005.

The term wireless can be used to describe a wide range of technologies and platforms including satellite and mobile (GPRS, and 3G) etc, all of which have a vital role to play in the development of Broadband Britain. However, this report is focused specifically on the issues related to fixed wireless access and W-LAN type services that provide service characteristics similar to or better than equivalent fixed line broadband platforms such as ADSL and Cable.

The objective of this report is to examine the reasons for the lack of progress in terrestrial wireless broadband deployment to date and to explore potential regulatory options for expediting the deployment of wireless broadband services by 2005 in order to influence the UK’s target to have the most extensive and competitive broadband market in the G7. The report also looks at the longer-term requirements for spectrum (post 2005) for wireless broadband services.

In addition to this report the BSG has recently published a report on the Impact of Public Sector Interventions on Broadband in Rural Areas , which sets out the range of public and private sector initiatives currently being developed at national, regional and local level across the UK. It is recommended that these reports are read together in order to gain a better picture of the full range of commercial and public sector and regulatory initiatives aimed at extending broadband coverage to rural areas.

BSG Wireless Report: Options for accelerating the deployment of terrestrial fixed and portable wireless broadband services by 2005

BSG Rural Broadband Report: The Impact of Public Sector Interventions on Broadband in Rural Areas

Supported by DTI

Over 300 people attended last month’s BSG Broadband Britain Conference in London (28-29 October). The event was themed around realising the value of broadband and how it is starting to provide real benefits for users, consumers, small businesses, public services and communities and how this growing broadband value proposition can be translated into real commercial success for the companies and organisations that make up the broadband value chain.

The presentations from the conference are available to view as pdfs below:

Session 1 – The Consumer Value Proposition – James Crabtree/Simon Roberts, iSociety

Session 2 – The Business Value Proposition – Jenny Searle, Oracle

Session 3 – The Public Value of Broadband – Jamie Bend, IPPR (Speech)

Session 4 – The Community Value of Broadband – William Dutton, Oxford Internet Institute

Session 5 – The Commercial Value of Broadband – David Cleevely, Analysys

The Impact of Public Sector Interventions on Broadband in Rural Areas

Significant barriers exist to the extension of mass-market broadband coverage to rural areas. In some of the most remote parts of the country, the economics are so challenging that it is reasonable to assume that the market will probably not deliver to 100% of the population in the foreseeable future without some form of public sector intervention or support. To that end, in some areas of the UK, public sector funding/support may be required to ensure coverage. However, determining the appropriate level and mechanism to intervene will need to be considered in the context of the long-term impact on competition.

In recognition of this, the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) developed the GBP30 million UK Broadband Fund to help RDAs and Devolved Administrations stimulate supply and demand for broadband services in rural areas. This fund helped spawn the creation of many initiatives and models of public sector intervention.

With the UK Broadband Fund coming to an end, and in light of e-Commerce Minister Stephen Timms recent call for broadband coverage to be extended to every community by the end of 2005, as well as recent announcements from BT regarding their demand registration campaign, it is important to look at what types of initiatives have worked and what have not and what the requirements for public sector intervention might be going forward. The overall question is how do all of these initiatives impact on the Government’s objective to have the most extensive and competitive broadband market in the G7 by 2005 as well as the achievement of availability to 100% of communities by the end of 2005.

The purpose of this report therefore is to provide a picture of where we currently stand with regard to the deployment and take-up of broadband in rural areas.

In addition to this report the BSG has recently published a wireless report ‘Options for accelerating the deployment of terrestrial fixed and portable wireless broadband services by 2005’. It is recommended that these reports are read together in order to gain a better picture of the full range of commercial and public sector and regulatory initiatives aimed at extending broadband coverage to rural areas.

BSG Rural Broadband Report: The Impact of Public Sector Interventions on Broadband in Rural Areas

BSG Wireless Report: Options for accelerating the deployment of terrestrial fixed and portable wireless broadband services by 2005