Broadband for all proposals unveiled this month

Lord Carter's calls for broadband for everyone is edging closer to reality as the interim Digital Britain report is expected to be released later this month.

This week, media attention has re-ignited the UK Communications minister's proposals made in a speech in December - that all homes should have access to broadband services.

While this in itself is not news, a spokeswoman for the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) told IT PRO that the interim Digital Britain report, which is likely to contain and flesh out these proposals, was due later this month. The full version is slated for a spring release.

What is known is that the Broadband for All proposals are likely to suggest that every house in the country should have access to broadband services, by law. According to the BERR spokeswoman, Carter will ensure that the telecoms industry provides an at least basic broadband service to every citizen, whether this is by fixed-line or mobile technology.

In the speech in question, delivered at the Broadcasting Press Guild last month, Carter said: "We are at a tipping point in terms of broadband availability."

Carter has a strong background in telecoms and telecoms infrastructures. He is a former chief operating officer of NTL and served as the first chief executive of UK media watchdog Ofcom for three years.

He is guest of honour at a seminar on Digital Britain on 14 January in London where he will deliver a keynote address. It is not known whether it is here that he will make his proposals, however he will be joined by Peter Phillips, who is a member of the strategy and market developments division at Ofcom, which may perhaps serve as another clue.