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The third convergence conversation of 2008 looked at the impact that new bandwidth intensive services are placing on the UK's broadband infrastructure. 
Good news for Ofcom and - potentially - the digital communications industry as a whole, as the European Commissioner for Information, Society and Media Viviane Reding's rumored plan to set up a Europe-wide 'super-regulator' for the electronic communications industry looks to have hit the buffers, confirming Ofcom's regulatory power for the foreseeable future. A report by the Spanish MEP Pilar del Castillo, who is charged with steering the proposal through the European Parliament, said that such a body would actually add to red tape affecting business and that a "one-size-fits all approach" is inappropriate. She added: "It is not clear that Europe has a single market problem of the size and nature to justify a radical change in institutional set-up."
"History repeats itself, first as tragedy and then as farce" said Marx. This week the Society of Authors, the trade body that represents more than 8,500 professional writers in the UK said that piracy on the internet would ultimately drive authors to stop writing unless radical methods are devised to compensate them for lost sales. Any of this sound familiar? The Society of Authors said that the havoc caused to the music business by illegal downloading is beginning to envelop the book trade. 
Digital Television continues to show strong growth with the number of UK households with digital television on their main set rising to 22.2 million homes according to research published by Ofcom this week. The Digital Television Progress Report for Q4 also shows that multichannel television take-up has reached 87.6 per cent of households, up from 86.1 per cent in the previous quarter.
Social networking, the success story of the internet in 2008 certainly in mass audience participation if not in revenues generated, was scrutinized by Ofcom who warned in a report that parents and internet companies are failing to protect children. The regulator said 49 per cent of the UK's children with internet access have profiles on sites such as Bebo and Facebook - with 27 per cent of youngsters having bypassed the sites' 13-plus age limit. It called on the companies to do more to raise awareness about privacy risks, suggesting a public information campaign. The advice comes as the Home Office prepares to publish best practice guidelines for social networking sites.
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Intellect is the UK trade association for the IT, telecoms and electronics industries. Its members account for over 80% of these markets and include blue-chip multinationals as well as early stage technology companies. These industries together generate around 10% of UK GDP and 15% of UK trade. For more information go to www.intellectuk.org
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