CABLE CONGRESS 2013 – LONDON. Speaking in the opening session of Cable Congress 2013, Ed Vaizey, MP, UK minister of culture, communications and creative industries, welcomed the acquisition of Virgin Media by Liberty Global.
He also said that the UK government’s aim is a truly connected Britain. The internet already contributes 8% of the UK’s GDP and over 650,000 people signed up to superfast broadband in the last quarter alone.
Although Vaizey emphasized the importance of content, with the creative industries generating £36 billion each year, he was critical of the slow growth of e-commerce in the UK. While a recent survey found that 80% of businesses have a website, only a third took online payments.
Meanwhile Matthias Kurth, executive chairman, Cable Europe, said that there has been a major change in the perception of the cable industry in the last 5-10 years and it is now seen as enhancing the digital agenda in a cost-effective way.
He added that the cable industry can play an important role in the future smart home.