Broadband topping many people's wish lists for the new year (From Salisbury Journal)

Broadband topping many people's wish lists for the new year

2:59pm Thursday 5th January 2012 in Rural Focus By Anne Connon

MANY rural businesses and communities put reliable broadband connections at the top of their New Year wish lists, according to the CLA.

Official figures from Ofcom show that up to 20 per cent of rural areas are still unable to receive an effective and affordable broadband connection, while up to 35 per cent have no access to superfast broadband at all.

Twenty per cent of broadband users across England and Wales have a download speed of less than two megabits per second (Mbps).

The CLA is calling for Government funding to be spent bringing rural broadband “not-spots” up to speed, rather than making the already fast even faster.

CLA South East regional director Rupert Ashby said: “The Government is investing millions to improve broadband delivery and progress is being made, but it is not happening quickly enough in rural areas, even in parts of the south-east which are near big towns and not far from the capital.

“The rural-urban digital divide is growing at an alarming rate and causing major problems for farmers and landowners with commercial properties who have lost tenants because they cannot offer a superfast broadband connection.

“Rural communities without a reliable connection are suffering too – they can’t access key online facilities such as tax returns and bill payments and children can’t use the internet for homework.”

The CLA is calling for the Government to increase the benchmark broadband speed to five Mbps as part of the universal service commitment. Rural farmers, businesses and dwellers are being asked to sign the online petition at cla.org.uk/Policy Work/Petitions/ or call 0207 460 7934.