The House of Lords Communications Committee published their report on broadband earlier this week.  The widespread media attention featured many of the speakers and organisations supporting the NextGen 12 conference scheduled for Westminster on 8th & 9th October.

First out of the blocks was the Communications Management Association (CMA) whose members spend more than £13bn per annum on networked products and services. Chairman Michael Rowbury said that they were pleased that the “report recognises that the provision of digital access networks ‘should be considered a key part of our national infrastructure’ and is a ‘strategic national asset.'”

The CMA, primarily a business organisation, also noted that all parts of the UK economy are increasingly dependent on the quality of digital access, and the open availability of competitive services that can be delivered via those local networks.  This report, they said, “can be regarded as a clarion call for fresh thinking in terms of national priorities, network design and local management.”

Media coverage also included committee chair Lord Inglewood and Peter Cochrane, who are leading speakers in the digital infrastructure debate at NextGen 12.  The conference will also include inputs from Chi Onwurah MP, Dido Harding (Chief Executive TalkTalk Group) and Francesco Caio (Chief Executive Officer Avio Group), who all gave evidence to the Communications Committee. Robert Madelin (Director General for Information Society and Media at European Commission) will report on the work of the directorate and EU policy.

The event will feature the result of the 2012 NextGen Challenge highlighting the digital investment achievements of communities large and small across the UK.  The awards will be presented at the conference dinner in the Palace of Westminster.

Speaking for NextGen, director Marit Hendriks said, “The House of Lords report is timely and clearly deserves open-minded attention from regulators, policy developers and community & business organisations in every economic sector and every corner of the UK.  Our delegates and exhibitors are now looking forward to an event informed by the committee’s call for evidence – a call to which many of them responded.”

Early bird booking – offering a 10% discount finishes on 31 August