smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

Most rural areas could have access to broadband by 2005 if a Government initiative achieves its objectives, which would be good news for small businesses in remote areas of the UK.

E-commerce Minister Stephen Timms has announced that the Government is setting up 9 regional aggregate bodies to calculate the demand for broadband in every area of the UK. Telecoms providers will then be able to bid for local contracts to supply fast internet services to the public sector.

If this scheme is successful it will have laid the foundations to spread broadband further into rural areas. This follows complaints from the Countryside Agency that small rural firms were at a disadvantage to their urban counterparts because they could not access the technology. See our earlier story.

With the technological framework in place it will be easier and cheaper for the telecoms provider to extend the broadband network out to smaller villages out in the countryside.

The target for the Government is to make broadband services available to over 90% of the population compared to the current level of around 70%.

For more on the roll-out of broadband to rural areas, visit www.ukonlineforbusiness.gov.uk. To find out more about broadband technology, check out or Broadband section.

(4/8/03)

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