Government confirms universal broadband plans

The government has confirmed its intention to ensure that every household in the UK can access broadband of a minimum speed of 2Mbps by 2012.

Unveiled yesterday, Lord Carter's interim Digital Britain report has studied the future of domestic technical infrastructure, as well as the media and public service broadcasting.

"We will develop plans for a digital Universal Service Commitment to be effective by 2012, delivered by a mixture of fixed and mobile, wired and wireless means," the report said.

"Subject to further study of the costs and benefits, we will set out our plans for the level of service which we believe should be universal."

Culture secretary Andy Burnham unveiled the report to MPs and said that universal broadband roll-out would generate a competitive low-carbon economy in the UK for the next decade.

Mr Burnham explained that the government wanted to "give parents the information and tools to protect [their] children from inappropriate content".

He added that the plans could also potentially involve establishing a digital rights agency to monitor and combat internet piracy.

Gordon Brown said that building an effective fibre network was as essential as the creation of new "roads, bridges and trains were in the 20th century".