The Digital Britain report, published today, says mobile phones are the key to providing broadband Internet access for all. Noting that the next generation of mobile phones are developing PC functionality, and praising the mobile industrys extraordinary capacity to take complex technology and make it simple, reliable and low cost, the report says:
Given time, low cost broadband mobile phones connected to the mobile broadband network have the best long term potential to ensure complete inclusion of all in the UK to the broadband Internet.
Elsewhere, the report states that universal broadband service delivery will be achieved through a mix of fixed and mobile, with mobile ideally placed to make a contribution to the universal service commitment.
The report also acknowledges that there is a role for Government intervention in releasing new radio spectrum for a rapid roll out of LTE (Long term evolution) networks. It also notes an encouraging consensus among the incumbent mobile operators for mobile broadband networks to be based on 3G or LTE technology, but says this does not preclude a new entrant using other technologies, such as WiMAX. Given the highly competitive nature of the UK mobile radio market, however, the report concludes that: it looks unnecessary to mandate the technology to be used for mobile Next Generation Networks.
On the subject of coverage, the report notes that there is near-universal coverage of GSM, but says: the extensive coverage we now take for granted with GSM has not yet happened with 3G networks. It notes that roughly 20% of the population do not have a choice of 3G network operator, and that the 90% who can access a 3G service have limited in-building coverage.
The report goes on to say that the Government wants universal coverage for mobile broadband that matches the 99% coverage of GSM, and acknowledges that network sharing, reciprocal access and interconnection regimes are all means of achieving that level of coverage. It also commits to convert existing 3G licenses from time-limited to indefinite in order to give network operators certainty in being able to plan to achieve these coverage requirements.