It’s the vision thing…

I have to say that I was disappointed, though not greatly surprised by the government’s official response to the recent House of Lords report on broadband strategy.  Predictably enough, the government shot down some of the report’s wackier ideas – like the suggestion of a state-sponsored FTTH network, costing “in excess of £25bn”.  But to this reader, the value of the HoL report was less in specifics than its high level messages, for instance:

1)   Setting humane objectives for the value of broadband diffusion, rather than relying on service metrics.

It’s all very well the government explaining that speed alone will not be the critical measure, rather contradicting the words of the former Culture Secretary, but the HoL has to be right in focusing on the demand side aspect of broadband development.  As the Select Committee put it: “what is important is the long term assurance that as new internet applications emerge, everyone will be able to benefit, from inhabitants of inner cities to the remotest areas of the UK.”  The government response does not address this issue.

2)   Warning against the dangers that both the BDUK framework and the delegation of decisions over broadband architecture tend to favour the dominant incumbent.

More pointedly, the Committee’s fear was that current broadband investments, including those enabled by government subsidies, could allow BT to recreate in fibre the monopoly it gradually lost in its copper network.  To the extent that the government addresses this issue, which is not much, it seems to see it as wholly a matter for Ofcom.  (Don’t hold your breath!). 

It’s hardly news when the government chooses to ignore a Select Committee critique, even one that’s been well researched, but when the wheels are already falling off current policy – here, for example – it seems a pity not to have been more receptive to alternative ideas.