How the UK aims to boost broadband speeds

Lord Carter's Digital Britain interim report is seeking to encourage the implementation of super-fast broadband across the UK.

The report also recommends that the government cuts back on the red tape that's preventing some companies from building networks on a par with Virgin Media's recently revealed 50Mbps service.

The full Digital Britain report in June will also help the government to decide whether to hand out financial incentives to invest in overhauling the communications infrastructure. They will then form a government-led strategy group to come up with the best way to proceed.

Interim recommendations

• Create a strategy group to identify changes needed: "This strategy group will, by the time of the final Digital Britain report, assess the case for how far market-led investment by Virgin Media, BT Group plc and new network enterprises will take the UK in terms of roll-out and likely take-up; and whether any contingency measures... are necessary."
  

• Make it easier for companies to roll out super-fast broadband legislation: "The government will, while recognising existing investments in infrastructure, work with the main operators and others to remove barriers to the development of a wider wholesale market in access to ducts and other primary infrastructure."
  

• Consider offering incentives for companies to roll-out broadband networks: "We will, by the time of the final Digital Britain report, have considered the value for money case for whether public incentives have a part to play in enabling further next generation broadband deployment, beyond current market-led initiatives."
  

• Set up an advisory body for community networks: "The government will help implement the Community Broadband Network's proposals for an umbrella body to bring together all the local and community networks and provide them with technical and advisory support."