UK should have fastest broadband network in Europe by 2015
Jeremy Hunt鈥檚 speech聽on meeting the demand for higher broadband speeds.
The UK should have the fastest broadband network of any major European country by 2015, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced.
The Government is investing 拢530 million in taking superfast broadband to all parts of the UK by the end of this Parliament.
鈥淚n my very first speech as a Minister I said that I wanted us to have the 鈥渂est鈥� superfast broadband network in Europe by 2015,鈥� said聽Jeremy Hunt in a .听
鈥淚n defining 鈥榖est鈥� you include factors like price and coverage as well as speed. But over the past two years it has become clear, as Usain Bolt wouldn鈥檛 hesitate to say, to be the best you need to be the fastest.
鈥淪o I am today announcing an ambition to be not just the best, but specifically the fastest broadband of any major European country by 2015. Indeed we may already be there.鈥�
The has been allocated to local authorities and devolved governments to help take superfast broadband to rural areas.听We want 90 per cent of homes and businesses to have access to superfast broadband and everyone to have access to at least 2Mbps.
Good progress
Jeremy Hunt revealed 44 out of 46 local authority areas now have broadband plans approved and procurement is expected to be completed across the country by July 2013.
The UK has made good progress on internet speed:
- Average speed in the UK has increased by about 50 per cent聽since May 2010
- In the last year alone average speed increased from 7.6 Mbps to 9 Mbps, overtaking France and Germany so聽the UK聽now has the fastest broadband of any large European Country
- Two thirds of the聽population are now on packages of more than 10 Mbps, higher than anywhere in Europe except Portugal and Bulgaria
But the Culture Secretary聽added that聽we cannot afford to fall behind in providing high-speed internet access: 鈥淲e simply will not have a competitive broadband network unless we recognise the massive growth in demand for higher and higher speeds.鈥�
Government is also 聽that will give around聽15 per聽cent聽of the UK population access to ultrafast聽speeds of 80-120 Mbps along with universal high speed wi-fi.