The Broadband Stakeholder Group (BSG) will launch a report into out-of-home internet usage at a ‘Future Demand for Data and Bandwidth’ event on the 10 November. (more…)
Think about the last time you couldn’t find Wi-Fi access when you needed it: If you’re like most people, you might have to really think about it, as wireless Internet access seems to be available almost anywhere these days.
And when you consider how many people carry multiple Wi-Fi-enabled devices, the need for easy access to wireless Internet connectivity becomes more important, whether you’re at home, at work, or enjoying a park or restaurant. Having easy access to wireless options can allow a parent to attend his son’s football game while remaining connected to work, for example.
The BSG is currently recruiting for a new Policy Manager. For full details please see the full advert on the techUK website.
The Government this week launched a renewed push to raise awareness of the benefits of superfast broadband and the voucher scheme that is available to help businesses boost their digital connectivity.
The Mayor of London’s office published a consultation on the London Infrastructure Plan 2050 today.
The BSG is currently recruiting for a new CEO. For full details on the role and how to apply please see the full advert on the techUK website.
Pamela Learmonth, who has been at the BSG for over six years – the last two as CEO, has decided to pursue a new challenge in the life sciences sector.
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has published a report on the coverage and performance of broadband provision in the UK from the perspective of SMEs.
The Broadband Stakeholder Group is pleased to continue its partnership with the Broadband World Forum, which returns to Amsterdam in October.
Much of the focus on improving access to the internet has been understandably focused on rural areas. However, research undertaken for Ofcom by Analysys Mason not only shows that slow broadband and Next Generation Access (NGA) availability affect a significant minority of households in urban areas – but that these households tend to be those on the lowest incomes.
Today the Public Accounts Committee publishes another report on the government’s rural broadband programme.
This latest report from the PAC reinforces previous views it has articulated about the scheme. Namely the lack of competition in supply of services following the procurement process, the need for improvement in cost transparency, processes to ensure value for money and the need for further detail on roll-out plans. (more…)
A new report published today by the Broadband Stakeholder Group (BSG) identifies that SMEs are not yet unlocking the commercial potential of online activity and new technologies.
The report entitled Capitalising on Connectivity: Realising the benefits of broadband for UK Small and Medium Sized Enterprises identifies that despite estimates that increasing the digital capabilities of the UK’s SMEs can unlock economic returns of £18.8 billion (ref 1) evidence tells us that SMEs are not capitalising as best they might on this lever for economic growth (ref 2).
This report considers current data on SME engagement with connectivity, policy initiatives to support SME use of broadband and technology, alongside new BSG research.
It makes five recommendations regarding how to better understand SME use of technology and incentivise further take-up and exploitation of connectivity: (more…)
The beginning of February saw the Department of Culture, Media and Sport issue the Terms of Reference of their Digital Communications Infrastructure Strategy, a piece due for full publication by the end of 2014 which will consider what steps need to be taken to ensure that the UK has the right infrastructure in place to meet the needs of users in 2025-30 and ensure that the UK remains a leading digital nation. We are pleased that our 2014 programme of work can play an important role in helping industry and government work together on assessing these longer term needs beyond the current BDUK rollout, so watch this space for further information and inputs on the strategy.
And that wasn’t the only piece of work looking at the longer-term picture in the UK, as the BSG took at trip to Speaker’s House for the launch of a report from the Tinder Foundation and Go ON UK, which costed a digitally included Britain for the first time. A Leading Digital Nation by 2020 estimated that national commitment to ensure basic online skills for everyone by 2020 would cost £875 million – an annual investment of £146 million over a 6-year period. These efforts in costing are to be welcomed as we consider how tackling digital inclusion can drive greater social and economic benefits from broadband-enabled use, an issue the BSG will continue to look at. (more…)
Last week, the Tinder Foundation and Go ON published A Leading Digital Nation by 2020, providing for the first time an estimate for the investment needed to create a 100% digitally skilled nation.
A national commitment to ensure basic online skills for everyone by 2020 would cost some £875 million – an annual investment of £146 million over a 6-year period.
Our CEO Pamela Learmonth was amongst a number of industry experts for the Broadband Genie and PC Advisor Home Broadband Survey 2014.
On Monday, Plusnet, Virgin Media, Sky and Gigaclear were announced as the winners of the 2014 Home Broadband Survey, an examination of the state of UK broadband carried out by comparison site BroadbandGenie.co.uk and technology magazine PCAdvisor.co.uk. (more…)
The BSG is currently recruiting for a new Policy Manager. For full details please see the full advert on the techUK website.
Our current Policy Manager, Charlotte Holloway, will be taking on a newly created role with our partners at techUK as Head of Policy at the beginning of March.
