Thinktanks fill up on broadband

Analysis: Think tanks fill up on broadband | ZDNet

Lots more discussion to be had, it would seem This year has so far seen a lot of smart people from various foundations and think tanks take an in-depth look at the state of the UK broadband market. Nico Macdonald casts an eye over what we can take away from them.

My article ‘Thinktanks fill up on broadband’ has been published on Silicon.com [republished at ZDNet post acquisition].

The piece reviews recent thinktank and other reports on broadband, and concludes that they have a good handle on the issue, though they may be compromised by their lack of intimacy with the IT industry and the leading edge of research and development. It critiques the assumption that the PC-based Web browser should be the locus of delivery for information, communication and services, the misconception that broadband is all about speed and cost, and the fetish for greater bandwidth tomorrow, while pointing out the benefits of always-on, the possibilities of asynchronous delivery, and the need for information appliances.

The absence of models of broadband adoption is noted, and the lack of leadership in the development of ‘content’ challenged. It notes the lack of strategic government involvement in the development of broadband, except as a quick-fix solution to problems, and suggests that there may be a Minitel-style approach to promoting it in the home and beyond.

If you have reactions to the piece please post them in the Comment section at the end of the article.


Also and originally published at spy.typepad.com.

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