The DTI has issued a report that says “compelling content will drive the next wave of broadband services according to the study” and recommends setting up a “Broadband Channel”, “a Channel 4 for the broadband age”.
This kind of out-and-out idiocy – that broadband adoption is being held up by a lack of movies to watch – seems to be widespread on both sides of the channel. So far, I’ve seen it mainly trotted out to back braindead bills like the CBDTPA, or to fleece gullible ISP’s (who are talked into desperately teaming up with low-grade, low-budge “content providers”). This was @Home’s business plan, and BT Interactive’s too. Both roaring successes.
Broadband’s not being held up by a lack of bloody content. Oh yeah, I get that all the time: “Oooh, I’d gladly fork out for a 2 meg connection, but you know, I just don’t think there’s enough on the Internet for me right now.” Broadband’s being held up by simple technical reasons, and the telcos reluctance to lose their monopoly on the last mile.