This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-38051066
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Government pledges faster broadband funds | Government pledges faster broadband funds |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| In Wednesday's Autumn Statement, Chancellor Philip Hammond will announce £400m ($500m) funding for a new Digital Infrastructure Investment Fund. | In Wednesday's Autumn Statement, Chancellor Philip Hammond will announce £400m ($500m) funding for a new Digital Infrastructure Investment Fund. |
| Private investors will be asked to match the amount. | Private investors will be asked to match the amount. |
| The money will be aimed at fibre broadband providers who are looking to expand. | The money will be aimed at fibre broadband providers who are looking to expand. |
| The UK must move towards providing "fibre-to-the-property" broadband, rather than fibre to the roadside cabinet, the Chancellor will say. | The UK must move towards providing "fibre-to-the-property" broadband, rather than fibre to the roadside cabinet, the Chancellor will say. |
| Currently only 2% of the UK has access to this "full-fibre" connection, offering download speeds of up to one gigabit per second, according to government figures, | Currently only 2% of the UK has access to this "full-fibre" connection, offering download speeds of up to one gigabit per second, according to government figures, |
| That is 35 times faster than the 28.9Mbps average UK speed internet connection according to Ofcom. | That is 35 times faster than the 28.9Mbps average UK speed internet connection according to Ofcom. |
| Full-fibre provision is already offered by some independent broadband providers such as Hyperoptic, Gigaclear and B4rn, but to thousands rather than millions of customers. | |
| Trials of 5G, the next generation of mobile internet, will also continue, although there is no launch schedule yet. | Trials of 5G, the next generation of mobile internet, will also continue, although there is no launch schedule yet. |
| George Osborne laid out similar plans in his last budget in March 2016. | George Osborne laid out similar plans in his last budget in March 2016. |
| Analysis: Rory Cellan-Jones, BBC Technology Correspondent | Analysis: Rory Cellan-Jones, BBC Technology Correspondent |
| You've heard of superfast, and maybe ultrafast but now the government has come up with a new term - gold standard full-fibre broadband. | You've heard of superfast, and maybe ultrafast but now the government has come up with a new term - gold standard full-fibre broadband. |
| What is interesting about this announcement - which by the way was first trailed in last year's Autumn Statement - is an acknowledgement that the UK's broadband strategy may have been on the wrong track. | What is interesting about this announcement - which by the way was first trailed in last year's Autumn Statement - is an acknowledgement that the UK's broadband strategy may have been on the wrong track. |
| So far most of the public money invested in broadband infrastructure has gone to BT, whose strategy has been to roll out fibre to the roadside cabinet, not to the home. | So far most of the public money invested in broadband infrastructure has gone to BT, whose strategy has been to roll out fibre to the roadside cabinet, not to the home. |
| As the Treasury says in its press release, that has made the UK look good in terms of "superfast" coverage - although some would quibble at the definition of superfast. | As the Treasury says in its press release, that has made the UK look good in terms of "superfast" coverage - although some would quibble at the definition of superfast. |
| But as for that gold standard full-fibre broadband piped right into the home - well, the government admits we're falling behind, with only 2% of premises currently having access to it. | But as for that gold standard full-fibre broadband piped right into the home - well, the government admits we're falling behind, with only 2% of premises currently having access to it. |
| The new money the government is promising will go to small operators rather than BT - and even if it does get to two million homes and businesses as promised, the UK is likely to remain a laggard in the full-fibre race. | The new money the government is promising will go to small operators rather than BT - and even if it does get to two million homes and businesses as promised, the UK is likely to remain a laggard in the full-fibre race. |
| It will still be mainly up to BT to give the country the future-proof infrastructure it needs - and the government will be hoping that increased competition makes it up its game. | It will still be mainly up to BT to give the country the future-proof infrastructure it needs - and the government will be hoping that increased competition makes it up its game. |