Countryside Alliance Briefing Note: Broadband and Digital Connectivity

The Countryside Alliance have produced a short briefing note on broadband and digital connectivity. This briefing note outlines the key points we have raised in Parliament on the recent Comprehensive Spending Review, Universal Service Obligation (USO) and our overall position on the matter.

Delivering full fibre and gigabit capable broadband to the countryside by 2025, as committed to in the Conservative General Election Manifesto, must remain a Government priority. It was disappointing in the Comprehensive Spending Review to see that commitment watered down to 85% coverage.

Continued poor connectivity in rural areas represents a huge, missed opportunity for economic development and these gaps and weaknesses need to be addressed as a priority. The current lack of broadband infrastructure serving small firms threatens the expansion of the rural economy, currently worth £400bn annually. The business opportunity includes 28 per cent of all UK firms and over one million small businesses.

You can read the briefing note in full here.