I would agree with Factor 30. A licence fee was, once upon a time, the best way to fund a public broadcaster with a remit to innovate, educate and entertain.
Nowadays though, we probably do need to have a discussion about finding an alternate route to fund such a service, and probably a debate about the extent of that service too. The obvious answer, and one that broadcasters like SKY et al would love would be a subscription service, but that is unlikely to be able to fund the educational element.
I think that most people would prefer to keep a service like the BBC, one free of advertising and committed to making some of the most spectacular and educational documentaries, as well as their original drama and comedy output. Without a licence fee, how would the revenue be fairly raised?