Britain's telephone and broadband system could be ‘switched off ’ within two years in a move to a new super-fast cable network, watchdogs have said.
The £29billion fibre optic network would make internet access 30 times faster, allowing album downloads in 30 seconds and pay-as-you-view movie rentals.
It will also provide High Definition TV channels and video calls to every home and business in the country.
Super-fast broadband: It could deliver social benefits such as tele-medicine and new services for disabled people
Unlike the current system, it will be possible for several people in a household to watch TV, surf the web or download music at the same time.
In future, the system might be capable of delivering 3D television.
However, consumers will have to pay to be connected to the network under plans outlined by Ofcom, the industry watchdog.
Families also face hefty subscription costs for phone, internet and TV channels which will be beamed into homes via the new network.
Taxpayers might also have to fund parts of the network in rural areas where private companies are unwilling to foot the bill.
The higher charges are on the cards in order to pay the estimated £5.1billion cost of running cables to every street in Britain or £29billion to put in a link to every home.
Ofcom has published a consultation document making clear that the companies involved will be effectively given free rein to set their own charges to cover the
costs.
The watchdog insists that the installation of super-fast broadband is essential to the economic health of the nation.
It believes business will benefit from the technology, not least because it will make it much easier for millions to work from home computers via a reliable video link.
Chinyelu Onwurah, head of telecoms technology at the watchdog, said super-fast broadband represents the biggest step forward since since Alexander Graham Bell
made the first phone call in 1876.
Britain has lagged behind other nations such as France and the U.S. in the installation of the improved speeds amid questions over who will pay for it.
Firms such as BT and Virgin have begun work on their own networks. However, they want Ofcom to allow them to recoup the cost.
One way to ensure they can do this is to set a date to effectively turn off the existing network, which is based on copper wire, so making it compulsory for everyone to switch.
This would mirror the change to digital TV which is now taking place and requires consumers to buy new sets, set-top boxes and, in some cases, aerials.
Ofcom said super-fast broadband will initially run alongside existing phone and broadband services.
But these would be turned off – perhaps within two years – as part of a mass transition to the new network.
The watchdog believes private firms will install fibre optic cables to some 60 per cent of the country on a commercial basis.
That would leave the rest of Britain without the services unless the Government subsidises the cost in some way.
Source: Daily Mail UK., September 24, 2008
Internet revolution set to bring super-fast broadband to UK 
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