Calls for public investment in fast fibre broadband
Tue, 20 Oct 2009
The UK's planned high-speed broadband network will not become available outside major urban centres unless public funding is made available, it has been claimed.
Tim Johnson, chief analyst at independent broadband communications services information firm Point Topic, said fast fibre broadband services "will not reach more remote areas without subsidy".
He was commenting after the Conservative Party announced plans to scrap the government's planned telephone line tax, designed to raise funds for super-fast broadband in the UK, if it wins the next election.
Shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt told the Financial Times this week that the Digital Britain report measure – which would impose a 50p a month tax on every UK telephone line – would be abandoned as soon as possible.
Announcing plans to double its own investment last week, BT claimed that a wider roll-out would need support from the public sector.
Mr Johnson described this statement as "a shot across the bows of the Tory party"
He stated: "The Digital Britain report proposed this tax on telephone lines to subsidise the roll out.
"I think that is absolutely right. [Fibre] will not reach more remote areas without subsidy. And [these areas] are not terribly remote, they are only mildly remote."
How Microsoft can help
Just bought Microsoft Vista or Microsoft Office? Take advantage of your Microsoft software investment with a successful deployment. Learn More
Find a Microsoft solution partner
More Deploying IT News
View all articles
|
|
|
|
