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Christmas announcement expected for super-fast broadband plans
Thursday 30th September 2010, by Daniel King
The government will announce its plans for universal broadband access by Christmas, the culture minister has promised.
Jeremy Hunt told the culture, media and sport select committee that the coalition was aiming to get 160,000 homes in rural areas connected to broadband.
It will also "lay the foundations" for the realisation of what he described as the "next generation of super-fast broadband", with the aim of making the UK have the best connections in Europe.
In addition to this, he said that there needed to be work getting nine million adults online who have never used the internet.
When asked about the funding for the project, the minister said that private sector investment would be crucial to raise the £29 billion needed to bring fibre broadband to all UK households.
Mr Hunt commented: "Realistically, if we are going to deliver super-fast broadband, we have to find a flexible regulatory solution that stimulates investment by the private sector."
Rural communities have recently highlighted concerns about BT's roll-out for fibre installations, which could leave some areas digitally annexed by the end of the programme in 2015.
However, Mr Hunt made clear in his answers to the committee that access for rural communities is a priority.
The minister said that there was a strong economic argument for getting broadband to remote villages, in terms of job growth, repopulation and health services.
Categories: Broadband
