Broadband Stakeholder Group Archives

Established in 2001 as a cross-sector government advisory group, the Broadband Stakeholder Group has only disappointed.

Catching up on my reading this morning I note that the Broadband Stakeholder Group sees the Government’s Next Generation Fund (ie the 50p tax on analogue lines) as a “Forward looking, innovative and proportionate proposal that will benefit all”.

I also note in the Extended Play version of it’s press release on the subject that “The BSG was established as a cross-sector government advisory group in 2001 to help the UK lead the G7 in broadband penetration and connectivity.”For reference this is what the G7 broadband leadership league table looks like today according to the Oxford University Said Business School report. The numbers are the position in the broadband leadership league table,

japan 2
usa 15
Canada 17
france 18
uk 25
germany 27
italy 38

Whilst I think we need such an organisation as the Broadband Stakeholder Group I guess the question I am asking is whether it is really doing UK PLC any favours. By it’s own measures of success it is not succeeding. The BSG needs to be more forthright in its advice to Government.

I suspect this post title is gobbledegook to some readers. I’m continually having to learn new acronyms myself.

COTS in this case stands for Commercial, Operational and Technical Standards for Independent Local Open Access Networks. It is the latest initiative by the Broadband Stakeholders Group to promote a standard approach to the delivery of the plethora of ad hoc networks that are going to be springing up in the UK in the wake of Digital Britain.

This is to be applauded and on Thursday 3rd of September the BSG is visiting Hull to hold a town hall meeting (it is literally in Hull Town Hall) with the citizens of the North who have felt very much left out of the debate on how to make rural broadband a reality.

The day is split into a colloquium in the morning with the actual COTS meeting starting at 1.30. The COTS agenda is still fluid but an outline is shown below.

COTS Project overview (BSG, 15-20 minutes)

Stakeholder panel (5 mins each)
Ofcom
KCOM – Guy Jarvis,
Fibrestream – Lindsey Annison
INCA – TBC

Discussion – topics

General discussion on the concept

Are we on the right track? Right objective, right diagnosis of the issues?

The scope of the work

Are the three elements right? Should we focus on particular issues? Anything else we should consider?

Initial thoughts on requirements

What do participants need a solution to be able to do?

Thoughts on the commercial, operational and technical requirements

Views on solutions

Blue sky thoughts, to put ideas forward

Views on the process

Any issues with how we plan to take this forward?

Thoughts on the steering group

Views on membership/composition

Role/remit, how it should operate

The meeting is free to attend. I’d go myself but have a prior appointment in London. I’m sure Lindsay Annison will provide me with some feedback.