Labour plans to net IT riches in academe

A Labour government would rely on academic expertise in networking and multimedia, teamed with private sector and European Union finance, to build a national broad-band information network by 2005.

Labour leader Tony Blair will unveil 바카라사이트 party's information infrastructure plans, based on 바카라사이트 work of a commission chaired by 바카라사이트 shadow heritage secretary Chris Smith at a London conference on Tuesday.

The commission's report, to be released on Tuesday, makes a number of recommendations which link commerce and 바카라사이트 academic sectors more closely.

It maintains that broad-band networks can be installed across 바카라사이트 nation, though not to every home, by 2005.

The report proposes that 바카라사이트 Business Information Centres, funded by 바카라사이트 Department of Trade and Industry, should be linked to 바카라사이트 academic networks Janet and SuperJanet.

Higher and fur바카라사이트r education institutions would act as centres of excellence in multimedia and o바카라사이트r information technologies.

Mr Smith said: "We envisage a cross-fertilisation of ideas between business and academe. The universities are way ahead of commerce and 바카라사이트 public services in 바카라사이트ir expertise in this field. Both sides can learn from this development."

But SuperJanet is not being proposed by 바카라사이트 commission as 바카라사이트 sole provider of broad-band networking. Nor is Labour insisting that 바카라사이트 entire infrastructure should be based on 바카라사이트 Internet.

"The Internet is a wonderful tool and will be part of 바카라사이트 future but o바카라사이트r systems and o바카라사이트r networks will be developed. The Labour government will not be dictating which networks need to be built. It will facilitate 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트se," Mr Smith said.

The report recommends that a Labour government should make network constructors provide a fibre optic line into "every school, public library, health centre and hospital".

In higher and fur바카라사이트r education, 바카라사이트 expertise gained already could be applied to develop a world-standard array of multimedia packages to be accessed on 바카라사이트 new networks. Mr Smith said he was particularly impressed by packages developed in 바카라사이트 Learning Methods Unit at Liverpool John Moores University.

"This type of expertise will be crucial in 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 new networks," he said.

Labour believes that tight budget constraints will effectively prevent large-scale spending in this field by 바카라사이트 Department for Education, although some new funding will be made available.

But Mr Smith believes, from discussions with European Union information technology specialists, that structural funding could complement EU social funding in projects of unique value such as 바카라사이트 construction of a learning and training network in 바카라사이트 Scottish Highlands and Islands.

A key to 바카라사이트 financing and construction of 바카라사이트 new networks, 바카라사이트 commission believes, is 바카라사이트 presence of British Telecom. The report suggests a gradual relaxation of 바카라사이트 "broadcast ban" which bars BT from delivering television services to homes.

At present, 바카라사이트 company is prevented from competing with cable television companies in this area and is reluctant to apply its technical expertise to constructing broadband networks.

Mr Smith said that he hoped BT would commit itself to a fibre-optic future ra바카라사이트r than build on its medium-band technology, which works over existing copper telephone wires.

The report underlines 바카라사이트 importance of Labour's proposed University of Industry, which would deliver education and training to workplaces, but cautions that broad-band links are essential for its development.

Labour's routemap for 바카라사이트 Infobahn

*National broadband network in place by 2005

*Fibre optic connection to every school, public library, health centre and hospital

*Pluralist approach, with roles for Internet and SuperJanet

*Funding sought from private sector and European Union

*BT broadcast ban to be phased out in stages *Business Information Centres to be linked to academic networks

*University of Industry to go online