Powering up the countryside: new support announced to help rural communities
Authorities have announced homes and businesses in isolated parts of the UK will receive improved broadband connections to ensure people are not robbed of opportunity.
The secretary of state for rural affairs, Therese Coffey, announced this week that 100,000 homes and businesses in the most rural parts of the UK will be further supported to access better WIFI signals.
One of the reasons for ensuring people can connect to the internet is that the government have set out a target of ensuring 85% of isolated areas can access good broadband by 2025.
However, a small minority of premises in rural and remote areas in the UK, which are also known as ‘Very Hard to Reach Premises’ – are unlikely to benefit directly from the substantial activity across the telecoms industry to deliver gigabit-capable broadband services.
This can be caused by their secluded location, low population density or limited existing telecoms infrastructure – all of which can make them challenging to connect.
Consultations, which were published at the beginning of the week, have outlined plans to update the broadband Universal Service Obligation which already gives homeowners and businesses the legal right to request an affordable yet decent WIFI connection.
‘Our countryside, home to millions of people, is rich in potential and we want to make sure that everyone can develop their skills and reach the opportunities for success,’ said Ms Coffey. ‘So whether through improved connectivity, housing or transport I’m championing rural communities as we seek to grow our economy – so that every part of our country gets the support it needs to thrive.’
In addition to unveiling plans on how the government is going to improve rural connectivity, Theresa Coffey also reported plans to level up the countryside by unlocking new homes and investing in new technology to improve local transport links.
More on how transport could improve rural areas can be accessed in a full government report, which can be viewed in full here.
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