BDUK created to ensure universal broadband targets are met

Last year the UK government revealed that it was planning to aim for universal broadband access across Great Britain, where all areas would have access to minimum broadband speeds of 2Mbps. The government has now created a new body to make sure that these targets are met.

With many parts of Great Britain having little or no access to broadband services whereas other areas had easy access to super-fast broadband the issue over the digital divide had become a hot topic by last year. Many were therefore relieved when the government announced that it was implementing universal broadband as part of the Digital Britain plans.

The government’s universal broadband plan aims to provide all areas across the UK with broadband speeds of at least 2Mbps by 2012. It has now announced that in order to boost the chances of meeting this target it has created Broadband Delivery UK, which is a body that will be responsible for ensuring that the 2012 target for universal broadband is met. In addition to this the body will be responsible for the allocation of funds from the Next Generation Fund to ensure that ninety percent of the UK has access to next generation broadband by 2017.

The Minister for Digital Britain, Stephen Timms, said that ensuring these broadband targets were met were essential to the growth and well being of the UK’s economy. He stated: “Taking advantage of new technologies like next generation broadband is vital to the growth of the UK’s economy and it’s important that all homes and businesses can access the opportunities faster speeds bring.”

Timms added: “This report makes clear that without public intervention, some rural areas and less well off communities will be left behind and unable to reap the economic, health and education benefits superfast broadband offers. Our proposed £1billion Next Generation Fund will help bring the benefits of super fast broadband to more communities. We do not want to risk the digital gap widening, which is why we have put a team of experts in place to ensure further investment is targeted at those people without adequate access.”

Source – Think Broadband