Government promises 2Mbits/sec broadband

Stephen Timms, the communications minister said a minimum 2Mbits/sec broadband connection will be a Universal Service Obligation (USO).

Speaking at an All Party Parliamentary Communications Group (Appscomm) conference today he said that while government intervention for higher speeds “was not justified”, a 2Mbits/sec connection should be the minimum basic level of service and an obligation.

A USO is a legal term for providing a baseline level of service to every resident of a country.

The proposal for a minimum broadband speed available to anyone in the country who wants it was first put forward in June when the Digital Britain report was published. It said then that a 2Mbits/sec would be the minimum.

Lord Stephen Carter who headed up the Digital Britain report said a 2Mbits/sec connection would not be an ‘up to' speed but “will be a floor rather than a ceiling – a kind of technological minimum wage."

However, at one of the Appscomm conference workshops today attended by Computeractive, a representative for the Department for Business Innovation and Skills said the Digital Britain report had only recommended there be a commitment and not a USO to try to roll out these services. He went on to say not everywhere could expect to get this speed.

However, Mr Timms said there had to be a basic minimum level of service.

“It will be an obligation. It will be a USO. We will fully ensure that 2Mbits/sec is available everywhere to anyone who wants it,” he said.

He added that he would be appointing a chairman in the new year to head a body that would oversee the rollout of the USO.

And he hoped to get the proposed 50p a month tax on fixed lines through the Finance Bill before the next election. Computeractive has learned that if internet service providers have to collect the tax they will pass on these costs to customers.

The Government still has to work out how the tax will be collected and ensure disadvantaged people were exempt from paying, said Mr Timms.