Britain 'lagging' in next-generation broadband development

The chairman of the government's leading broadband advisory group has suggested the UK should improve its preparedness for next-generation broadband.

Addressing the annual conference of the CMA this week, Broadband Stakeholder Group (BSG) chairman Kip Meek suggested the UK's "relative absence" in terms of next-generation access should be addressed.

He said it was "unchallengeable" that the UK was lagging behind some of its international peers.

According to Mr Meek, fibre broadband as a proportion of connections in the UK is "negligible".

Failure to delivering next-generation access soon could compromise the UK's competitiveness, he claimed.

Mr Meek also expressed the hope that the announcement by business and competitiveness minister Shriti Vadera that the government is to review next-generation broadband is "a signal that the government is ready to provide the necessary leadership".

In conclusion, the BSG chairman said the UK is not lagging "in any way that matters", but urged a period of reflection to "come up with a good way forward".

Posted on: 2008-02-29, in: Broadband

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