There is confusion in the broadband industry today amid signs that the UK election will end in stalemate and a hung parliament. On one side we have the Labour Party looking to introduce a tax on all UK phone lines to fund additional broadband investment in the future but on the other side we have the Conservative party looking to cancel the broadband tax and use the BBC licence fee to shore up finances for the broadband sector.
In the middle we have the Liberal Democrats who have backed the Labour Party move although whether this particular policy could be compromised in a coalition government remains to be seen. As a consequence, the UK broadband industry is in confusion today and is unlikely to be top of the list of projects to do for any incoming government.
It is this confusion and delay which has impacted upon UK broadband services in the past and looks likely to do so in the short-term. As BT continues with the introduction of a superfast broadband network in the UK, costing billions of pounds, there is a need to support an industry which is set to change significantly in the months and years ahead.