Too little too late?

zappaDPJ · Apr 22, 2009, 17:59:38

QuoteThe UK government has signalled its commitment to ensuring everyone in the country has access to broadband speeds of two megabit per second by 2012.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8012848.stm

That's three years away and 2Mb/s? That seems rather a low target figure when 40Mb/s is just around the corner.

I was talking to an acquaintance yesterday about broadband speeds and where he lives in Singapore 10Mb/s is the norm. Not impressed? That's the upstream! His downstream is rated at 100Mb/s. I think our government should be looking at 8Mb/s in the same time frame and ensure that we have the infrastructure to support it.

Rik · Apr 22, 2009, 18:01:18

I think we'd all agree. 2Mbps should have been the target 5 years ago, not three years in the future.

Sebby · Apr 22, 2009, 23:37:09

Agreed. I see 2Mb as pretty sub-standard these days, to tell you the truth.

Simon · Apr 22, 2009, 23:42:49

I agree too. And what's the point of making promises for when they won't be in power anyway?

Rik · Apr 23, 2009, 08:34:17

It's easier than ones they have to keep? (Not that I can think of many of those...)

Tacitus · Apr 23, 2009, 08:50:53

For some of us a reliable 2Mb would be an improvement.....

Rik · Apr 23, 2009, 08:57:58

Many, even, Tac.

gizmo71 · Apr 23, 2009, 09:07:09

Quote from: Tacitus on Apr 23, 2009, 08:50:53
For some of us a reliable 2Mb would be an improvement.....

Yep. Nearly double my current speed!

Sebby · Apr 23, 2009, 13:29:16

Ouch.

zappaDPJ · Jun 30, 2009, 13:28:18

Perhaps there are a few politicians who understand how important the Internet has become after all.

QuoteThe committee will look at whether the promise to hook all homes up to a minimum 2Mbps (megabits per second) speed is "ambitious enough".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8126246.stm

Sebby · Jun 30, 2009, 14:08:29

All homes should have had at least 2Mb a few years ago, imo.

Gary · Jun 30, 2009, 14:19:16

Quote from: Sebby on Jun 30, 2009, 14:08:29
All homes should have had at least 2Mb a few years ago, imo.

We are so far behind Sebby I wonder if we will catch up $:-\$

colonelsun · Jun 30, 2009, 17:47:16

Quote from: Gary on Jun 30, 2009, 14:19:16
We are so far behind Sebby I wonder if we will catch up $:-\$

I still hold out hope that local businesses will band together and pressure their local council/Chamber of Commerce, because, where web speed and reliability is concerned, they already see themselves as second class citizens. In my area local businesses have already had the argument and are actively seeking out partnerships. For most of these businessmen it's a shared reality that they may be doing it themselves, without investment from the council, but they are also keenly aware that to stay in the slow lane is to wither and die on the vine.

SignLine · Jul 06, 2009, 12:11:33

Yes it is.

£30 billion cost isn't it to get our internet up to where it should of been a decade ago, good old BT keeping with their length of string & 2 paper cups network instead of keeping 'their' infrastructure up to date & lining shareholders & fat cats pockets instead.

GB, small country, highly populated, wealthy, we should have 100mb anywhere in the country, today.

Korea has 100mb, why haven't we, get some nugget from BT on here so we can linch the muppet.

BT, Backward (scandalous) Twerps

Sebby · Jul 06, 2009, 18:44:33

Well said!

Rik · Jul 06, 2009, 18:49:24

Now louder, so the politicians hear...

colonelsun · Jul 06, 2009, 20:19:09

I don't want to start a riot, i don't want to upset anyone, that's not why i contribute to the forums, but i think the Brits are missing a trick here. It doesn't matter where you go in the world but there is a single unifying internet product that survives and prospers and needs no investment from governments of any colour. I'm talking of pornography. Instead of enacting petty laws on porn for 3G mobile phones and adopting contradictory, sometimes illegal, laws for cable and satellite tv.....why not just accept that porn is here, it makes vast amounts of money and most of that go backs to the U.S or Europe. Why can't this government admit we're all adults and take a slice from the industry by allowing the stuff on pay tv and mobile phones thus contributing to the money required for a truly 21st century broadband product.

In Europe it's well known that porn supports other businesses, it has enabled some tv station owners to bundle their product with broadband internet and allows this product to be rolled out into areas other companies won't go into. Gordon Brown isn't complaining that pornography currently contributes over a billion a year to government coffers, that sum is always climbing, why are the Brits so frightened to admit that a large proportion of people buying internet access is, and has been, solely driven by the free availability of porn?

It's a lot better than the 50 pence tax on every landline in the country proposition we have now, and anyway the head of BT has already rejected that proposal as insufficient for the investment required.

Steve · Jul 06, 2009, 20:56:19

"Nothing wrong with hiding your head in the sand" says Mr Brown

Simon · Jul 06, 2009, 21:09:26

Quote from: colonelsun on Jul 06, 2009, 20:19:09
why are the Brits so frightened to admit that a large proportion of people buying internet access is, and has been, solely driven by the free availability of porn?

Because we're British, and we don't do that sort of thing?

dujas · Jul 06, 2009, 22:21:18

Tories would cut Ofcom powers, says David Cameron. Seemingly the complete opposite direction to what Labour plan to do with Ofcom in their 'digital britain' report. I wish MPs would try and form a consensus

(fat chance before the general election I guess). Ofcom hits back at David Cameron

cavillas · Jul 07, 2009, 10:21:52

Quote from: Simon on Jul 06, 2009, 21:09:26
Because we're British, and we don't do that sort of thing?

Here's someone who speaks for themselves only.

Rik · Jul 07, 2009, 15:08:01

Of course, we could just put a premium on the use of iPlayer and solve all the problems.

colonelsun · Jul 07, 2009, 19:31:56

Quote from: dujas on Jul 06, 2009, 22:21:18
Tories would cut Ofcom powers, says David Cameron. Seemingly the complete opposite direction to what Labour plan to do with Ofcom in their 'digital britain' report. I wish MPs would try and form a consensus (fat chance before the general election I guess). Ofcom hits back at David Cameron

Yet another Cameron headline grabber but dig deeper and you'll find he's shot himself in the foot...again. Cut OFCOM powers and they'd have to farm out some of it's duties to other departments, government or independent based, either way it's more work being farmed out to people without experience and will cost more in the end.

Anyway, look at what OFCOM's advice has done for the ITV regions....if it's news in your region we're talking about then you probably don't receive any right now.