As we await official release of the Digital Britain Report there are already concerns that some proposals may well be unworkable in the short to medium term. The dispute between various mobile broadband companies continues with regards to the sharing of radio waves in the UK and how those forced to give up more bandwidth will be compensated for their loss.
While there is no doubt that the basics of the Digital Britain Report, broadband connectivity across the UK, will be well received there is sure to be some controversy about funding and the timescale. Many UK mobile phone companies are still smarting from the fact they paid tens of billions of pounds for 3G licenses some time ago which have effectively collapsed in value as technology has moved on. As a consequence, there is likely to be severe friction between the UK government and the various mobile broadband companies as to who should pay the lion’s share of future development costs.
The publication of the Digital Britain Report is the first stage in the total revamp of the UK broadband network but may prompt more questions than answers in the short to medium term.