UK government confirms Digital Economy Act won't be repealed

The new government spokesman for the broadband industry, Jeremy Hunt, has today confirmed that the controversial Digital Economy Act won't be repealed. This is an act which was pushed through by the previous Labour government at short notice, attracting massive controversy due to a number of all-encompassing powers which were passed to the UK courts and UK regulators.

There had been some hope that the Conservative party would repeal the act if it gained power but it seems as though these hopes have been spurned due to the Liberal Democrat/Conservative party coalition. As the broadband industry itself becomes an ever more integral part of the UK economy it will be a vital area of business going forward. It seems as though the new government is also likely to push ahead with a plan to use part of the BBC licence fee to fund broadband expansion in the future.

It was very clear from the general election, and the campaigns which ran up to the big vote, that voters are now more interested than ever before about the future of the UK broadband industry. All parties were forced to issue policies with regards to the UK broadband network although there was a consensus of a need to increase investment in this area going forward.