Telecoms experts speak out on rural business broadband

UK telecommunications experts recently commented on the ambitions of a government-backed project. The aim is to supply full fibre to the premises (FTTP) broadband internet to more rural areas; however, this may require reviewing.

The recommendation follows reports that part of the funding for the project may see use in central London.

Acting as an overseer for the government programme, BDUK has been accused of wasting money. This is following unearthed plans to use the funds to subsidise high-speed broadband services in the capital.

Despite the goal of the initiative being to aid rural parts of the country, the overseer is considering using some of the available money to fix known “notspots” in the city.

This summer, a study canvassing 4,000 people revealed that 48 per cent of people who live in rural areas have broadband connection issues “a few times a week”. A third of respondents stated they were considering moving to a city or town because of the problem.

However, speaking out, experts stated that investment shouldn’t just be deployed in places experiencing the worst levels of broadband service, but also be divided between both business and residential connections. They reminded BDUK that while there may be too many UK households being deprived digitally, there are also hundreds of thousands of enterprises of all shapes and sizes struggling with the same issue.

Experts are now calling on BDUK to review its rules, allowing ISPs (internet service providers) serving “notspots” to choose to supply services to both businesses and homes while still accessing funding.