Public involvement is important in the UK broadband future

Public involvement has a leading role to play in the future of high-speed broadband in the UK, an advisory group claims.

Held on January 14th, delegates at the Joint Westminster eForum & Westminster Media Forum keynote seminar debated key elements in the Digital Britain strategy, including its impact on the public.

Speaking at the seminar, Broadband Stakeholder Group (BSG) chair Kip Meek said that the public has an important role to play in the future makeup of broadband in the UK.

"I think there is very little forum for debate at this point that public intervention has a role in leading us towards the next-generation of broadband and the extension of the current generation of broadband," Mr Meek explained.

"The question is should the government intervene? Should it, for example, conduct a broadband tender of the type that's operating in Australia, where AU$5 billion (£2.349 billion) worth of taxpayers' money is proposed to be reinvested in extending fibre in Australia?"

Research recently conducted by telecoms regulator Ofcom has indicated that a quarter of people do not actually receive the broadband speed they thought they had signed up for.