The Digital Britain Report, which is due out today, should set out the Governments plans for broadband for the future decade. It is expected that the report will make a commitment to getting a minimum of 2 mbps broadband to every home in the UK by 2012.

However statistics show that 43% of adults who currently do not have Internet access would not want it even if they were given a free computer and broadband connection.
Many in this group tended to be retired or older and had never used a computer others said the reason for their lack of interest was financial or simply lack of skills.

Although the research which was carried out by Ofcom found that one in five adults who currently do not have the internet plan to go online within the next 6 months.
30% of the population, which is 1.7 million UK homes, are currently offline.

An Ofcom spokesperson said ‘ Broadband is becoming increasingly important to peoples ability to participate in the economy and society. The report shows that some creativity will be required if we wish to capture the imaginations of those who have yet to engage with the benefits the internet can bring.’
Ofcom estimates that 70% of people in the UK have access to the Internet. 65% of these have broadband with 2% using dial up and 3% using mobile broadband.

The report will also make recommendations on ways to safeguard copyright and Internet piracy.

The repost will trigger a battle between satellites; mobile and fixed line technologies to finding a solution to the Governments Universal Service Commitment (USC).

The Digital Britain team has been holding talks with UK mobile operators in order to sort out a deal which could see their companies contributing to the Governments plans. Although Lord carter who commissioned the Digital Britain report is said to believe that the mobile cannot provide a substitute for the fixed line.
Research by Broadband Communications firm Epitro recently found that the average download speed on the mobile was less than 1 Mbps rising to 1.8Mbps at 0300am.

Satellite Broadband may be the answer as Avantis Hylas satellite could provide 2Mbps to 350,000 rural homes and if they are given permission to launch 2 more satellites they could increase that number to 2 million. Costs are also expected to fall to £15 per month.

Bt is also hoping to be involved and is testing new technology known as Broadband Extension Technology (BET). This should provide good speeds to properties up to 17km from a telephone exchange.

It is not yet clear how much cash the Digital Britain report will provide and some are disappointed that isn’t looking at a faster next generation scheme rather than focusing on 2Mbps broadband.

Gordon Brown is said to be determined that ‘ Britain’s digital infrastructure will be world class’.