Britain gets new 'broadband minister'

Baroness Shriti Vadera has been appointed as the new minister for business and competitiveness at the Department of Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (DBERR), the government has confirmed.

The baroness takes over from Stephen Timm. Her new responsibilities include competitiveness, enterprise, growth and business investment for sectors including e-commerce and the communications and information industries.

She is, according to Computer Weekly, effectively minister for broadband and she will face a challenge in deciding how the government should intervene to improve broadband access in the UK.

The magazine says she will have to follow up on Timm's earlier efforts to reach a consensus between the government, the public sector and internet service providers on how broadband access can be widened and how new, faster next generation services can be supported.

Advisory body the Broadband Stakeholders' Group says obstacles currently facing next generation broadband in the UK include how access networks will support emerging services and applications; how enough speed will be generated for business and private users and how higher-cost next generation services will be made available in less built-up, less commercially attractive areas.