By Jane Wakefield BBC News Online technology staff

In its annual report, a group of government-appointed broadband experts said wireless should play a fundamental role in the spread of broadband services to areas currently not served by the technology.

The wireless spectrum - the radio frequencies that can carry data - are controlled by the government but they had hardly sold any of the space available.

Broadband Stakeholders Group, appointed by the government to oversee its broadband policy, urged ministers to rethink its policy and instead open up frequencies reserved for military use.

Filling the gaps

BT has also called on the government to sell off more of the appropriate spectrum.

British policy has suffered from being over-grandiose, looking at the gee-whiz stuff but falling flat on their faces

Tim Johnson, Ovum

At the Broadband Stakeholder conference in Birmingham, the Department of Trade and Industry's newly appointed Director of Broadband Policy, Claire Durkin, said two new frequencies would soon be available.

Wireless broadband could be a useful way of filling the gaps left by cable and DSL, broadband via the telephone line, suggested Tim Johnson, analyst with research firm Ovum.

"So far fixed wireless broadband has been a complete flop," he said.

"British policy has suffered from being over-grandiose, looking at the gee-whiz stuff but falling flat on their faces."

The reality is more mundane. Low frequency wireless spectrum, such as the 3.4Ghz and 5GHz options soon to be offered by government, will be cheaper to set up and run, Mr Johnson said.

Universal access?

The debate about whether the government should oblige telecoms companies to offer universal broadband has been re-ignited in recent weeks.

An announcement from BT that it could achieve up to 90% broadband coverage, using a variety of technologies, has been welcomed by the government.

Ms Durkin told delegates at the Broadband Stakeholders' Group that e-Minister Stephen Timms was very interested in the idea of universal access, although the DTI has since added that there is no plans to make this policy in the near future.

E-envoy Andrew Pinder takes a slightly different view.

He has said that universal net access has already been achieved thanks to the 6,000 UK Online centres and other access points dotted around the country.