Information society : agenda for action in the UK : evidence received after 31 March 1996 / Select Committee on Science and Technology.
- Great Britain. Parliament. House of Lords. Science and Technology Committee.
- Date:
- 1996
Licence: Open Government Licence
Credit: Information society : agenda for action in the UK : evidence received after 31 March 1996 / Select Committee on Science and Technology. Source: Wellcome Collection.
46/324 page 348
![23 April 1996 ] [ Continued Baroness Hogg contd. ] encouragement, the manufacturers developing digital television receivers and as that replacement market takes place perhaps the question of whether a future government—lI say that because it is quite a period of time out—would ever consider switching off the analogue system to make the digital television set available. In parallel to that I think increasingly the PC will develop to allow pictures of quality to be received on the small screen. There is a non-technical question which is the way the television set or the PC is likely to be used in the home. Although things can change there is, I think, some evidence to suggest that people regard a PC screen as very much more a one- to-one work station or learning station, whereas the television set in the home is often used for a wider range of more social viewing. Chairman 500. I am afraid time’s winged chariot has overtaken us again. Would you like to make any short two sentence final statement or is that your last word? (Mr Phillis) 1 think, my Lord Chairman, all I would like to say is thank you very much for listening to what we had to say today. If there is any further evidence or information that you require in your deliberations we would be more than happy to answer any points that you have or to provide further information if you so wish. Chairman] If in retrospect you think you would like to communicate with us again we would be pleased to hear from you. Memorandum by British Telecommunications plc This memorandum, submitted in response to a request from the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee, is concerned with the development and applications of an information superhighway. SUMMARY We anticipate the evolution of a new information society which will cause profound changes to our daily lives. New multimedia services will reach our homes, offices, schools, hospitals and factories, and impact areas we cannot yet imagine. To succeed as a producer rather than just a consumer we must, in the UK, adopt the best technologies and positively encourage innovation and development. Sitting back and doing nothing is not an option. The global highway will overcome geographical borders and redefine our working boundaries. Services and applications will be transportable from nation to nation in ways that were not possible in the industrial ages that preceded. We believe the next few years will determine whether or not the UK becomes a major contributor to this global industry. The issues are complex: no-one can tell which services and companies will succeed. Global accessibility will provide opportunities in a global marketplace for strong competitive companies. However, none of today’s companies worldwide can yet be considered a major player in the provision of new information applications and services. The stage is still clear. The UK is already well positioned to build on strengths such as: — an innovative media and arts industry — the SO per cent of video games software that originates here — London asa major financial centre — the use of English as the language of new technologies. Timing will be a crucial factor. Nations that accept and encourage these changes will benefit—those that delay will not. . The Government must take the lead in creating an environment which accelerates the deveopment of the information society. This should provide incentives for innovation and the early adoption of applications, and encourage risk-taking. The regulatory structure must encourage an entrepreneurial spirit. Commercial freedom to operate will be vital to both large and small companies, and rewards must be commensurate with risks. The current regulatory framework in the UK discourages investment in broadband infrastructure by the major telecommunications operators and so constrains the development of the multimedia market. There shall be no initial imposition of a requirement for universal service. Only when there are sufficiently large numbers of people unable to gain access to fundamentally important services should steps be taken to redress the situation. Even then service providers should not be commercially disadvantaged by providing any universal service. Universal service will require subsidy, and great care needs to be taken, once commercial needs and costs are properly understood, to ensure that such subsidies are beneficial overall.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b32218631_0046.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
