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The European Commission has approved, under the state aid rules, the “FibreSpeedWales” project. This project, funded by the Welsh Development Agency, aims to contribute to reducing the relatively slow development of broadband in Wales. This slow-paced development is due to the nation's geographical isolation, its mountainous terrain and its low population density; as a result, broadband prices for businesses can be several times higher than in other areas of the UK. The project targets business parks for which affordable broadband services are not available as they are located in remote areas and...

Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, reviewed the independent production sector in 2002 and, as a result, new Codes of Practice were issued setting out the principles by which the public service broadcasters commission programmes from independent producers (see IRIS 2004-2: 13). It has now undertaken a further review and has recommended changes to the codes. The review found that with more than 27,000 hours of programmes made by UK producers in 2004, UK viewers enjoy one of the highest levels of domestically-originated content in the world. 56% of output was produced in house by the broadcasters,...

The English High Court has made two summary judgements ruling that the two men involved cease using peer-to-peer software facilitating the illegal sharing of music files. The identity of one was obtained after a court order had been served on an Internet Service Provider. The decisions are the first cases to be heard on this issue in a UK court. Many cases (150 cases launched since October 2004) have been settled out of court - for up to GBP 6 500. The file-sharing constitutes an infringing act under the Copyright Designs and Patents Act of 1988. One man was ordered to make an immediate payment...

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has recently upheld complaints concerning advertisements repeating dentists' endorsements of two toothpaste products. Complaints about broadcast advertising require the ASA to apply the broadcast advertising Code to the commercials in question. The relevant part of the Code is Section 8, “Medicines, Treatments, Health Claims and Nutrition.” It states that: "The following are not acceptable in advertisements for products or treatments within the remit of Section 8:….Impressions of professional advice and support". Such impressions can include "…references...

Two multi-media mergers in the UK have been cleared by the Office of Fair Trading, at the first stage of the assessment under the Enterprise Act 2002, of whether the merger may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition. This means that the mergers can go ahead without a full investigation by the Competition Commission. Both mergers relate to the emergence of Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) as an alternative means to provide `triple play', i.e. pay-TV, internet and telecommunications services. The first merger is the acquisition by BSkyB Broadband Services Limited of Easynet...