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The Digital Britain (DB) review, launched in October 2008, superseded the Convergence Think Tank (CTT). Further details of the DB review, and a copy of the DB interim report, published on 29 January 2009, are available on the DB website.

Background information

The CTT was set up to examine the implications of technological development for the media and communications industries, and the consequences for both markets and consumers.

The CTT was set up jointly by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR). Its aim was to help shape future policy development in relation to these sectors, which include TV, radio, mobile and fixed telecoms and online services.

Convergence can be defined as the merging of the individual communications industries (IT, broadcasting, telecommunications etc) into a single converged market. The breaking down of the traditional barriers between technologies has the potential to dramatically alter the landscape of the relevant sectors and those who interrelate with them. In practice convergence covers a wide range of issues, as well as most of the regulatory and legislative regimes that are currently in place.

The CTT examined three over-arching themes which provided the general framework for the review:

• Open markets
• Empower consumers and citizens
• Provide universal access to high quality content
  
  

The work of the CTT was guided by a joint DCMS/BERR steering group.The CTT programme included a series of seminars to bring together key industry decision makers to discuss and debate specific questions based on these key areas.

The matters considered by the CTT now form part of the work of the Digital Britain review.