Digital Britain
Encyclopedia
The Digital Britain report was a policy document published in 2009, which outlined the United Kingdom
Government's strategic vision for ensuring that the country is at the leading edge of the global digital economy
.
The Digital Economy Act
was one of the outcomes of this policy.
coverage in the UK by 2012, with a minimum speed of 2 Mbit/s. Some industry experts, including broadband think tank PointTopic and measurement site SamKnows, claimed that these plans were ill thought out. However, a government-backed forum hoped to address such issues, with a view to succeeding within the 2012 deadline.
Closely based on a 2007 government-commissioned think tank report from The Work Foundation, the final Digital Britain report was released on 16 June 2009, and made a number of recommendations with regard to broadband access, internet
use and public service broadcasting. Among these recommendations were:
In August 2009, responsibility for the project was moved to Stephen Timms
, the Financial Secretary, who was previously the minister responsible for e-commerce and used to work in the telecoms industry. He reported to Peter Mandelson
.
Mandelson had been seeking a legal and regulatory attack on copyright infringement
by statutory instrument
. In November 2009 he added these measures into the Digital Economy Bill, but faced objections from leading internet companies.
The Pre-Budget Report
in December 2009 included a new tax of £6 p.a. on home land lines to fund the expansion of broadband. This was included in the March 2010 United Kingdom Budget
, but dropped from the Finance Bill due to lack of time after the general election was called. In his Budget speech, Chancellor Alistair Darling
had also announced tax break
s for the British video game industry, and reiterated the Government's target of 90% Broadband coverage by 2017—but omitted to repeat the target of 100% by 2020.
In March 2010 the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
announced the National Plan for Digital Participation, aiming "to ensure that everyone who wants to be online can get online, do more online and benefit from the advantages of being online."
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Government's strategic vision for ensuring that the country is at the leading edge of the global digital economy
Digital economy
A digital economy is an economy based on electronic goods and services produced by an electronic business and traded through electronic commerce...
.
The Digital Economy Act
Digital Economy Act 2010
The Digital Economy Act 2010 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom regulating digital media. Introduced by Peter Mandelson, Lord Mandelson, it received Royal Assent on 8 April 2010, and came into force on 8 June 2010 The Digital Economy Act 2010 (c. 24) is an Act of the Parliament of...
was one of the outcomes of this policy.
History
The UK government announced on 29 January 2009 that it planned to have 100% broadbandBroadband Internet access
Broadband Internet access, often shortened to just "broadband", is a high data rate, low-latency connection to the Internet— typically contrasted with dial-up access using a 56 kbit/s modem or satellite Internet with inherently high latency....
coverage in the UK by 2012, with a minimum speed of 2 Mbit/s. Some industry experts, including broadband think tank PointTopic and measurement site SamKnows, claimed that these plans were ill thought out. However, a government-backed forum hoped to address such issues, with a view to succeeding within the 2012 deadline.
Closely based on a 2007 government-commissioned think tank report from The Work Foundation, the final Digital Britain report was released on 16 June 2009, and made a number of recommendations with regard to broadband access, internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
use and public service broadcasting. Among these recommendations were:
- Three year plan to boost digital participationDigital divideThe Digital Divide refers to inequalities between individuals, households, business, and geographic areas at different socioeconomic levels in access to information and communication technologies and Internet connectivity and in the knowledge and skills needed to effectively use the information...
- Universal access to broadband by 2012
- Fund to invest in next generation broadbandNext generation accessNext-generation access is term used by British Telecommunications describing a significant upgrade to the telecommunication access network replacing some or all of the copper cable with optical fibre...
- Digital radioDigital radioDigital radio has several meanings:1. Today the most common meaning is digital radio broadcasting technologies, such as the digital audio broadcasting system, also known as Eureka 147. In these systems, the analog audio signal is digitized into zeros and ones, compressed using formats such as...
upgrade by 2015 - Liberalisation of 3G3G3G or 3rd generation mobile telecommunications is a generation of standards for mobile phones and mobile telecommunication services fulfilling the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 specifications by the International Telecommunication Union...
spectrum - Support for public service content partnerships
- Changed role for Channel 4Channel 4Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
- Consultation on how to fund local, national and regional news
- A new "more robust system" for the classification of video games
In August 2009, responsibility for the project was moved to Stephen Timms
Stephen Timms
Stephen Creswell Timms is a British Labour politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for East Ham since 1994. He is a former Cabinet Minister having served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2006 to 2007...
, the Financial Secretary, who was previously the minister responsible for e-commerce and used to work in the telecoms industry. He reported to Peter Mandelson
Peter Mandelson
Peter Benjamin Mandelson, Baron Mandelson, PC is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Hartlepool from 1992 to 2004, served in a number of Cabinet positions under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, and was a European Commissioner...
.
Mandelson had been seeking a legal and regulatory attack on copyright infringement
Copyright infringement
Copyright infringement is the unauthorized or prohibited use of works under copyright, infringing the copyright holder's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works.- "Piracy" :...
by statutory instrument
Statutory Instrument
A Statutory Instrument is the principal form in which delegated or secondary legislation is made in Great Britain.Statutory Instruments are governed by the Statutory Instruments Act 1946. They replaced Statutory Rules and Orders, made under the Rules Publication Act 1893, in 1948.Most delegated...
. In November 2009 he added these measures into the Digital Economy Bill, but faced objections from leading internet companies.
The Pre-Budget Report
Pre-Budget Report
In the United Kingdom, the Autumn Statement, at times the Summer Statement and the Pre-Budget Report , is one of the two statements HM Treasury makes each year to Parliament upon publication of economic forecasts, the other being the annual Budget...
in December 2009 included a new tax of £6 p.a. on home land lines to fund the expansion of broadband. This was included in the March 2010 United Kingdom Budget
March 2010 United Kingdom Budget
The March 2010 United Kingdom Budget, official known as Budget 2010: Securing the recovery, was delivered by Alistair Darling, Chancellor of the Exchequer, to the House of Commons on 24 March 2010....
, but dropped from the Finance Bill due to lack of time after the general election was called. In his Budget speech, Chancellor Alistair Darling
Alistair Darling
Alistair Maclean Darling is a Scottish Labour Party politician who has been a Member of Parliament since 1987, currently for Edinburgh South West. He served as the Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2007 to 2010...
had also announced tax break
Tax break
Tax break is a slang term referring to any item which reduces tax, including any tax exemption, tax deduction, or tax credit. Tax break is also a pejorative term used in the United States to refer to purportedly favorable tax treatment of any class of persons, as in "individuals get a tax break...
s for the British video game industry, and reiterated the Government's target of 90% Broadband coverage by 2017—but omitted to repeat the target of 100% by 2020.
In March 2010 the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is a ministerial department of the United Kingdom Government created on 5 June 2009 by the merger of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform .-Ministers:The BIS...
announced the National Plan for Digital Participation, aiming "to ensure that everyone who wants to be online can get online, do more online and benefit from the advantages of being online."
External links
- Digital Britain Forum Official discussion and feedback site
- Digital Britain Official information and reports
- National Plan for Digital Participation
- Government to look at low-cost ideas to fulfil Digital Britain promise
- The Archived Digital Britain Website