A taxpayer-funded voucher scheme to boost firms’ broadband speeds must be extended to rural areas at risk of being left behind, MPs have said.
Businesses in 22 cities can claim up to £3,000 for better online links but the Commons environment, food and rural affairs select committee said it was unfair that farmers and others could not access the same help.
And it said the minimum Government-guaranteed broadband speed for homes and businesses in parts of the country outside the target of 95 per cent superfast coverage by 2017 was at least five times too slow.
The committee also highlighted a warning given to it by BT that the target could slip to 2018 - but the Department for Culture, Media and Sport insisted it remained “firmly on track”.
BT said it was now “confident” of meeting the target after roll-out was accelerated. Government has committed £150 million for the SuperConnected Cities programme, which is managed by Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK).
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