The BSG's new work programme was launched at a reception on 18 September by Minister for Competitiveness Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP, who used the occasion to tell stakeholders that he sees it as one of his 'highest personal priorities that we have a high performance telecommunications infrastructure in every part of the country, enabling us to compete successfully on a global basis.'

The Minister went on to say that he would chair a high level summit later this year to consider the circumstances that might trigger public sector intervention, the form that intervention might take and at what level it might sensibly take place. He also underlined the important role that the BSG has to play in bringing stakeholders together to ensure that the UK is in a leading position on broadband in the future. 

Kip Meek, BSG Chairman, explained how the BSG's work programme would rise to this challenge. He said that work would fall into four areas:

• Policy, which would look among other things at the potential social and economic value of next generation broadband
• Commerical, where BSG will faciliate debate about business models across the value chain to support investment in infrastructure
• Regulatory, allowing the BSG network to input into regulatory discussions at UK and EU level
• Public sector intervention, where BSG will investigate models for efficient public sector intervention
  

Read the Minister's speech in full

Read the press release

Read the press coverage