UK Net Users demand film downloads..Newdesk.

In a recent survey conducted by Broadbandchoices.co.uk, it has been revealed that 61% of UK internet users where most interested in having the ability to download DVD quality movies quickly.
UK users voted this feature in favour over video calls, High Definition video and home surveillence. The survey was carried out in an attempt to find what consumers wanted from the next generation of broadband technology. The survey also made uneasy reading for Internet service providers, as 60% of those questioned stated that they would not be prepared to pay extra for the faster transfer speeds.

Interestingly, it seems that the result of this survey are a little contradictory - as watching television and downloading movies appears (according to the survey) to be something that users currently spend less time doing over the week than other, more traditional activities such as E-mails and general browsing.

An explanation to this "could be the that the current services are not at a high enough standard/speed to warrant using video services. If (transfer) speeds were improved, consumers are more likely to use broadband to stream TV and download movies." said Michael Philips, who is product director at BroadBandChoices.co.uk.

Regulator Ofcom is in the middle of a consultation on the issue of future net services while MPs hosted a Westminster eForum on the issue two weeks ago, which was followed up by a broadband summit, hosted by minister for competitiveness Stephen Timms.
The issue hinges on whether the UK is falling behind the rest of the world, where fibre networks capable of delivering speeds of up to 100Mbps are starting to become commonplace.
In South Korea, one of the world's most advanced nations when it comes to super-fast broadband, some 90% percent of homes can get connections between 50 and 100Mbps.

Virgin Media has pledged to upgrade its cable network - which reaches more than 50% of the population - by the end of next year while BT is considering the option of rolling out a limited fibre network. There are many who think the most important job is to sort out current broadband speeds, where there is a huge disparity between advertised speeds and the speeds people are actually getting.

A report from consumer group Which earlier in the year found that some customers on so-called 8Mbps packages actually get less than 1Mbps.

Ofcom's own speeds tests found that the average customer got 39% of their promised speed.

BBC's £100m Local news drive goes on. _ newsdesk week3

The BBC is pressing ahead with proposals to invest £100m in new local text and radio broadband services.
Appearing in front of the Lords communications select committee today, the BBC director general, Mark Thompson, reiterated the fact that a lower-than-expected licence fee will mean the corporation will not launch local broadband television services.

Thompson then went further to say that "actually Local Radio, complemented by the web is probably a complete solution"..

In regards to these new services, users will be able to personalise the sites around news and sport and again, according to Mr Thompson, the services are to be 'Map-based'.

Viewers of BBC programmes such asd 'Coast' will be able to type in their postcode and find places to visit near them that have been featured in the series.