UK government to pioneer laws for the digital age

The convergence of telecoms and broadcasting will require a fundamental change in regulatory structure, according to the UK government.

The Department of Trade and Industry and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport jointly published a green paper on the subject this week. The Government feels that the present regulatory structure will not last as the traditional distinctions between broadcasting and telecoms merge.

According to the green paper: "Some new services fall within the remit of more than one regulator, creating a risk of excessive and/or inconsistent regulation. Where an identical service is transmitted over different delivery systems, it may be subject to different regulatory regimes."

The Government hopes that changing the regulations will allow new services to grow without unnecessary interference. It is inviting input until 30 November, and conclusions will be published early next year. The green paper, entitled 'Regulating Communications: approaching convergence in the information age' is published at www.dti.gov.uk/converg/.