England and Scotland are to receive more than £363m of the UK government’s £530m investment fund to help roll out superfast broadband to 90% of the country by 2015.
The government has previously earmarked £56.9m of this fund for Wales, and £4.4m for…
England and Scotland are to receive more than £363m of the UK government’s £530m investment fund to help roll out superfast broadband to 90% of the country by 2015.
The government has previously earmarked £56.9m of this fund for Wales, and £4.4m for Northern Ireland.
Superfast broadband is already in the process of being delivered to roughly two-thirds of the UK by the private sector, through incumbent operator BT and local cableco Virgin Media. However, this public funding will be used to help expand broadband to the remaining third by making it viable for business to invest.
“I am absolutely determined that the UK will have the best superfast broadband network in Europe by 2015 – one that we all benefit from,” said UK Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt today.
“Fast broadband is absolutely vital to our economic growth, to delivering public services effectively, and to conducting our everyday lives. But some areas of the UK are missing out, with many rural and hard-to-reach communities suffering painfully slow internet connections or no coverage at all. We are not prepared to let some parts of our country get left behind in the digital age.
“The government is investing £530 million of public money to help bring broadband to every home and business in the UK. We are doing our part – it is now up to local authorities and the Scottish government to do their bit, to get on board and work with us to secure the social and economic future of their communities.”
