A new study from The Forum for Private Business shows that broadband speed is a key issue for one in four businesses when asked what support they needed to make technology work more effectively. (more…)
Last Friday saw the conclusion of EU budget negotiations, and as a result the proposed Connecting Europe Facility budget was reduced from €9.2bn to €1bn.
Our CEO, Pamela Learmonth, has responded to this announcement commenting:
“Broadband connectivity is vital to Europe’s future, and in tough economic times the ongoing challenge is to make the best use of resources. The reduction in proposed budget may initially provoke disappointment from some but the EU budget of EUR 1 billion is still a new investment in support of digital services and must also be seen as part of a larger sum of funding across European member states. (more…)
Last week saw the launch of the DCMS Consultation on the proposal that, for five years, broadband street cabinets and new poles can be installed under permitted development rights in any location (except SSSIs) without the need for prior approval from local planning authorities. The full Consultation document can be found here.
The timing comes as the delivery of the Government’s ambition to have the best superfast network in Europe by 2015 rolls on. The consultation cites that for any one location it is expected that superfast broadband could create between £143 million and £19.8 billion in additional GVA, and we’ll certainly be keeping a close eye on this. (more…)
Its the 10th Safer Internet Day today, organised by Insafe each year to promote more responsible use of online technology. It’s a useful initiative aimed at helping parents and carers – particularly those who may be lacking in tech skills – start a conversation with their children with their online behaviours and how to stay safe.
The initiative bring a timely and sensible focus on getting parents and carers think realistically about the conversations they are having with their children about going online; a welcome bit of common sense and practical advice in a debate that can, understandably so, become quickly emotive. (more…)
Capitalising on UK broadband: exploiting the potential benefits
30 January 2013
Today the UK’s leading independent advisory body on broadband, the Broadband Stakeholder Group (BSG) publishes its 2013 work programme.
The programme puts the issue of usage of broadband at its heart and focuses on the key question of how broadband infrastructure can be best exploited for socioeconomic benefit to the UK. (more…)
Hello and welcome to the new-look BSG website. This is the first of a series of monthly updates from me, giving the broadband community an overview of latest developments and trends in the industry whilst looking at those issues on the horizon for this year and beyond.
2013 is set to be a huge year for the broadband policy scene – how do we get fit for purpose infrastructure? What lessons can we learn from demand, take-up and usage? Where should the industry look for new opportunities on the operation and innovation of broadband-enabled services and an evolving regulatory environment? With the rollout of BDUK, 4G auction excitement, a forthcoming Communications White Paper, the weighing up of spectrum issues across the world and debates on universality and digital inclusion rumbling on, 2013 is set to be a big one. (more…)
11 October 2012
Today the UK’s leading broadband advisory body, the Broadband Stakeholder Group (BSG) publishes a report that argues that initial demand for superfast broadband in the UK gives cause for optimism and confidence.
The study brings together public data on superfast broadband demand across various markets and probes headline figures to more fully understand actual consumer willingness to pay for superfast services. Looking at the data from this new perspective, the report argues that, on the international stage: (more…)
Update, December 2014:
In the last quarter of 2014, EE, Vodafone and Virgin agreed to become signatories to the Open Internet Code. This is reflected in the list of signatories and contact details in Annex 1.
The updated version of the code can be found at: BSG – Open Internet Code of Practice amended November 2014.
Update, June 2013:
In July 2012, the Open Internet Code was published. The full press release relating to this launch is set out below.
In May 2013 this code was amended to:
This updated code can be accessed here.
Original post:
Today leading internet service providers (ISPs) are signing a voluntary code of practice in support of the open internet.
The code commits ISPs to the provision of full and open internet access products and confirms that traffic management practices will not be used to target and degrade the services of a competitor.
This initiative builds on the transparency code of practice published in 2011 which ensures that clear, understandable and comparable information on traffic management practices is available to consumers. (more…)
The BSG has submitted a response to the Communications Review Open Letter by the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP.
The BSG attended today’s Open Internet Roundtable at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
It was a useful discussion and we are pleased that the new industry code of practice on traffic management transparency gained widespread support as a key building block for a properly informed and evidence-based policy discussion about the open internet.
Antony Walker, CEO of the BSG said: “The challenge ahead is to build a common view on how we safeguard the benefits of the open internet whilst also ensuring ongoing investment and innovation. It is important that this is based on the realities of what is happening in the UK market, rather than what is happening elsewhere in the world.???
New initiative will help consumers and policy makers make informed choices
Update, June 2013:
In March 2011, the BSG published, on behalf of the signatory ISPs, a code of practice on traffic management transparency. The code can be downloaded here.
The press release accompanying its launch is set out below, explaining the commitment contained in the code. In accordance with the code signatory ISPs subsequently published Key Facts Indicators in relation to their traffic management policies. Hyperlinks to this information from all signatory ISPs can be found here.
Please note that shortly after the issue of the below press release, EE signed up to the code in March 2011.
The latest version of the code, issued in May 2013, reflects the additional and subsequent signatories of the code: BE, giffgaff, KCOM, PlusNet and Tesco Mobile.
Orginal post:
BSkyB, BT, O2, TalkTalk, Three, Virgin Media and Vodafone will today sign up to a new voluntary commitment to provide better and more easily comparable information to consumers about traffic management. Together these companies account for 90% of all fixed-line broadband customers and 60% of all mobile customers in the UK. (more…)
Richard Hooper CBE has been appointed as the new non-executive Chairman of the Broadband Stakeholder Group, taking over from Kip Meek.
Richard Hooper has had a long career in the converging worlds of media and communications. He has worked in both broadcasting and telecoms and was Chairman of the Radio Authority and Deputy Chairman of Ofcom 2002-2005. Most recently he led the Independent Review of the Postal Services Sector. (more…)
The BSG has submitted its response to the DCMS consultation on the implementation of the AVMS Directive.
Broadly, the BSG makes three key points:
The Broadband Stakeholder Group published a new study today by Analysys Mason on the costs and capabilities of wireless and satellite technologies.
The report provides a snapshot view looking forward to 2016 and finds that:
The BSG has been engaged in the recent policy and regulatory debate on net neutrality.
A term not easy to define, our approach has been to focus on what the issues covered by the term actually mean for the development of services on the internet.
This has been demonstrated by the agenda we put together for our conference on 9 September, ‘Quality Time? Meeting consumer expectations with next generation services’. (more…)
