Digital Britain – the main points

The government report that outlines the future of the UK's digital policy has just been released in parliament. Much of it was set out in the interim report in January, but here are the main points on shaping our digital future as outlined today in the House of Commons:

• Universal broadband coverage – the pledge to provide all of the country with at least 2Mbps broadband coverage by 2012
• For the one third of the country who can't obtain broadband through copper wiring, there will be provision for next-gen broadband
• Existing copper wiring customers will be charged a 50p levy in order for the final third of the country to receive broadband
• A secondary plan for universal 3G and next-gen coverage across the country
• The extension of reliable 3G coverage throughout the rail network (hurrah!)
• An aim to progress towards mobile coverage on the London Underground (double hurrah!)
• "Reform and liberalise" the mobile spectrum
• All national radio stations to become digital by 2015
• BT encouraged to "respond competitively" to Virgin's 50Mbps fibre optic network
• A freeing up of the digital spectrum to allow mobile operators to offer "next generation mobile network capable of broadband speeds of 50Mbps in the main urban and suburban markets going down to perhaps 4-5Mbps in the more rural areas"
• £300m Home Access Scheme for low-income families. Wide availability of new lower cost devices, new schemes for recycling PCs to low-income households or new prepay mobile broadband
• Piracy Ofcom to regulate targeted legal action by “rightsholders”. Technical action to limit broadband access to offenders (unlike France’s three strikes and you’re out, this is more, "three strikes and we reduce your broadband speeds").

What do you think? Is this enough to drag us into the 21st century? Have your say below...