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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Rural broadband to survive spending cuts | Rural broadband to survive spending cuts |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The government will trial super-fast broadband in the Highlands, North Yorkshire, Cumbria and Herefordshire, it announced in its Spending Review. | The government will trial super-fast broadband in the Highlands, North Yorkshire, Cumbria and Herefordshire, it announced in its Spending Review. |
| Next-generation broadband is among a handful of projects to survive the cuts, which will see £83bn wiped from public spending. | Next-generation broadband is among a handful of projects to survive the cuts, which will see £83bn wiped from public spending. |
| The BBC has agreed to contribute £300m towards the £530m total cost of funding rural broadband. | |
| The rest of the money has been set aside from the digital switch-over. | |
| Extending broadband services in rural areas is expected to benefit around two million households, including those in remote locations who currently struggle on dial-up speeds. | Extending broadband services in rural areas is expected to benefit around two million households, including those in remote locations who currently struggle on dial-up speeds. |
| Speaking about the decision to trial next-generation broadband in rural areas, Chancellor George Osborne said: "It will help encourage the growth of our creative industries as a key part of the new economy we are seeking to build." | Speaking about the decision to trial next-generation broadband in rural areas, Chancellor George Osborne said: "It will help encourage the growth of our creative industries as a key part of the new economy we are seeking to build." |
| Fibre vote | Fibre vote |
| Around a third of the UK is currently due to miss out of super-fast broadband because it is not regarded as economically viable to offer services in remote areas. | Around a third of the UK is currently due to miss out of super-fast broadband because it is not regarded as economically viable to offer services in remote areas. |
| BT is trying to address the issue and recently agreed to roll out fibre optic services across the whole of Cornwall, part funded with EU money. | BT is trying to address the issue and recently agreed to roll out fibre optic services across the whole of Cornwall, part funded with EU money. |
| It has also set up a 'vote for fibre' project to identify areas where there is demand for such services. | It has also set up a 'vote for fibre' project to identify areas where there is demand for such services. |
| However it will only consider roll-outs to areas with more than a 1,000 votes, meaning many rural communities will be too small to qualify. | However it will only consider roll-outs to areas with more than a 1,000 votes, meaning many rural communities will be too small to qualify. |
| Dr Charles Trotman, chairman of the Final Third First campaign, thinks it could create a new digital divide. | Dr Charles Trotman, chairman of the Final Third First campaign, thinks it could create a new digital divide. |
| "Where do you find an exchange with a thousand people in a rural area? It is a good initiative but it has to be rethought or it will add to the urban/rural digital divide," he said. | "Where do you find an exchange with a thousand people in a rural area? It is a good initiative but it has to be rethought or it will add to the urban/rural digital divide," he said. |
| Airwaves auction | Airwaves auction |
| Malcolm Corbett, chief executive of the Indepedent Networks Co-operative Assocation (Inca), a group of community broadband schemes, thinks local solutions will remain vital. | Malcolm Corbett, chief executive of the Indepedent Networks Co-operative Assocation (Inca), a group of community broadband schemes, thinks local solutions will remain vital. |
| "With private sector investment limited to commercially attractive areas and public sector funding limited full stop, it's up to us to work together - private, public and community sectors, to make sure Britain creates the broadband infrastructure we need for the future," he said. | "With private sector investment limited to commercially attractive areas and public sector funding limited full stop, it's up to us to work together - private, public and community sectors, to make sure Britain creates the broadband infrastructure we need for the future," he said. |
| In the Spending Review 2010 document the government also revealed that it will hold spectrum auctions for next-generation mobile broadband in either 2011 or 2012. | In the Spending Review 2010 document the government also revealed that it will hold spectrum auctions for next-generation mobile broadband in either 2011 or 2012. |
| The document said that at least 500Mhz of public sector airwaves will be released over the next ten years for new mobile services, including mobile broadband. | The document said that at least 500Mhz of public sector airwaves will be released over the next ten years for new mobile services, including mobile broadband. |