Ofcom has released a report outlining the future challenges facing the UK’s communications infrastructure as the growing needs of consumers and businesses continue to grow. What are the main obstacles to digital Britain?
Ofcom has today released a report outlining the future challenges facing the UK’s communications infrastructure as the growing needs of consumers and businesses continue to grow.
According to Ofcom’s Infrastructure Report 2014, the UK is making good progress in the roll-out and take-up of key communications services, but is failing to maintain pace with broadband and mobile availability.
Although the overall availability and quality of broadband services is getting better, Ofcom’s report suggests that rural areas aren’t being connected fast enough, there are too many under-served ‘city not-spots’, a lack of superfast broadband for SME’s – and looking ahead, a lack of ultrafast broadband foresight.
Ed Richards, Ofcom Chief Executive, said: “Digital infrastructure is crucial to the UK’s future. As a country we are continuing to make real progress, particularly in the roll out and take-up of superfast broadband and 4G mobile services.
“But there is more to be done. We need to continue asking whether collectively we are doing enough to build the infrastructure of the future, and to maintain the competition that benefits consumers and businesses.”
The research found that the average UK household or small business is downloading 53 Gigabytes (GB) of data on their fixed broadband line every month – equivalent to 35 feature films, and a 77% increase on 2013. The average home is also uploading seven GB of data to the internet each month, equivalent to 3,500 digital photographs.
What more can the UK do to ensure it maintains its digital commitment to deliver an infrastructure for tomorrow’s world? Please let us know by commenting below!!
The problem with getting superfast broadband as we like to call it over in the UK is that there are only really two providers and neither wants to invest anything unless its to their advantage. BT have won a huge contract to provide SFBB but most small businesses, mine included, are still running on shabby low speeds. 100/100MB/s should be the norm everywhere then we can compete with the rest of the World but instead we are strangled down by a duopoly that puts shareholders before UK growth. My Co have started using 4G broadband which is as reliable as wired BB with speeds up to 100/50MB/s so at least we can operate as a viable virtual business ..and its less expensive than Infinity or Cable so no price hikes to pass on to our customers. Trying to reduce businesse carbon footprints in the UK is virtually impossible without maximum effort when your business depends 100% on Internet access for VoIP phone calls and access to Cloud Servers for your data. Its a struggle with absolutely no help at all from Government, we don’t need sound bites we need real action. Hopefully next years election will sort things out. If that means UKIP win then so be it then we can get on with running Great Britain UK Limited in a competitive manner. Winning back business and exporting more means we can afford to pay more taxes and rejuvenate local services so we don’t have starving people and everyone can have the dignity of a job, no matter how menial, something for everyone … and all we need is the tools to compete, one of which is ‘proper’ broadband for our offices and home workers.
Thanks for commenting Steven – we feel your pain RE: slow internet connection!