Norman Lamb calls Broadband Summit

11.22.00am GMT Thu 2nd Sep 2004

Norman Lamb will be holding a Broadband Summit at the end of September. He will be inviting about fifty speakers and guests who have been particularly involved in shaping the broadband agenda for North Norfolk.

Norman Lamb said: "I want to do everything possible to encourage the business community and public service providers to take maximum advantage of the opportunities that broadband offers to North Norfolk".

The purpose will be to share insights and ideas for how best to exploit broadband to meet the needs that are particular to North Norfolk. In other parts of the country, applications where broadband can bring significant benefit are taking shape in education, healthcare, public service delivery and economic development. What should be happening in North Norfolk? What other applications would bring particular benefit here? Where are the greatest needs?

There will be speakers from the East of England Development Agency (EEDA); the Regional Aggregation Board, which acts as an intermediary between major users of broadband in the public sector and the providers of broadband services; North Norfolk District Council, and BT. Invited guests will include those active in the four application areas mentioned above.

Anyone wanting more details on participating in the summit may contact Norman Lamb's Constituency Office in North Walsham on 01692 403752 or email normanlamb@hotmail.com

Additional Background:

1. What is Broadband?

The term 'broadband' is applied to data communication services offering a speed of 512 kb/s or higher, which is about ten times as fast as ordinary dialup services. Such services are typically offered at a fixed monthly price with no time-based usage charging, so that they can be 'always on'.

Although still relatively expensive and not yet universally available, people who use broadband find that it transforms their experience of using services over the internet.

2. Norman Lamb has long been aware of the opportunities presented by broadband and the dangers of North Norfolk being 'digitally excluded' from the broadband revolution, because rural areas are relatively uninteresting to broadband suppliers, including (until as recently as February this year) BT. He has therefore lent his support to local broadband campaigns in Binham (near Holt), Wells-next-the Sea and other communities across North Norfolk.

The Binham Broadband campaign was successful in winning a grant from EEDA to install broadband and this is now installed and working for about thirty lines.

4. BT's announcement in April that it would be providing near-universal availability of broadband is to be welcomed, as it means that the public debate can now move on from campaigning for infrastructure to exploitation for community benefit. Important questions for regions and communities now to address are: What vision should inspire business and community leaders who take decisions affecting the uptake of broadband? What are the real needs and opportunities in the community? How can they best be met?