Ofcom suggests broadband 'partnership'

A "partnership approach" between the state and telecoms companies is required to supply the UK with the next generation of super-fast broadband, according to Ofcom, the UK telecoms regulator. In a consultation paper, Ofcom noted that it was "highly unlikely that the private sector will deliver truly national coverage" and suggested that the government look at geographic areas that are identified as remaining under-served in the future, and play a part in the coordination of the rollout. Upgrading to the next generation of broadband access mainly involves replacing copper wire with fibre-optic cabling, either to street cabinets or to the home. This will increase download speeds to 50-100 megabytes per second, compared with the current rates of 8-24 mbps. The report also highlighted the use of alternatives to fibre, including wireless technologies such as WiMAX and LTE, suggesting that these technologies may be used for remote and rural locations.