UK moving towards "internet slow lane"

Carter's Digital Britain proposals not radical enough says Consumer Focus

The UK is in danger of being left in the internet slow lane, according to independent watchdog Consumer Focus.

Commenting on Lord Carter's interim Digital Britain report, deputy chief executive Philip Cullum said the report " lacked vision," and "neglects consumer interests."

"It’s not too late for government to put this right and set a positive and innovative digital strategy for the UK," he said.

"The Digital Britain interim report is grounded in the past, focuses on protecting vested interests and old ways of working and living."

Although welcoming Digital Britain's proposal to update the universal service commitment, the watchdog said: "The government’s apparent unwillingness to consider a minimum universal broadband speed above 2Mbit/s by 2012 is also a major concern, particularly when other European countries such as Germany and Sweden already achieve average speeds of 4.8Mbit/s and 7.4Mbit/s respectively and Finland has set a 100Mbit/s target."

Consumer Focus said it believes even a minimum 2Mbit/s would not support future UK digital innovation.

"[This will] inhibit Britain’s digital economy as consumers find themselves unable to take advantage of digital services and products considered standard in other countries," it said.

Another area of concern for Consumer Focus is that a significant proportion of the UK population is, "limited in their access to IT by costs, and by the lack of knowledge/understanding." The organisation calls on the government to tackle issues of social exclusion through the report, which it considers to be "overly concerned with the needs of industry."