Top broadband exec?s called to see Lord Mandelson
Lord Mandelson called a meeting of the top executives of the largest five mobile broadband networks in the UK to coordinate the government?s effort to get broadband to everyone at acceptable rates by 2012.
The meeting is the second of its kind to take place in the last few weeks and will pick up where Lord Carter left off after the commission of the Digital Britain Report.
Lord Mandelson?s department advocated last week that guidelines be set up across the UK that punish those who infringe copyright laws by cutting of their broadband connections.
Another proposal set in motion by Lord Carter for an additive ?6 levy on landlines to pay for faster broadband across the country is set to fail as it is not expected to get passed by Conservatives who are looking towards the next year?s elections.
According to the initial Digital Britain Review, achieving broadband use across the country is reliant on broadening the range of broadband signals into the more rural and remote areas of Britain.
However, in order to achieve this all five networks must agree to split the original spectrum that was given to O2 and Vodafone back in the 80?s when they first began operating wireless networks. The 900MHz spectrum allows signals to be carried farther.
Also to be discussed will be the manner in which the way the government auctions off 800MHz spectrum that will be freed up after the switch from analogue to digital TV.
