UK: Conservatives promise ‘super-fast’ broadband by breaking BT monopoly

The Telegraph ^ | 1/31/2010 | Rosa Prince

[bruinbirdman]

Most homes will have ‘super-fast’ broadband within seven years after the Conservatives promised to break up what they described as British Telecom’s monopoly on providing internet connections.

The party is confident that the United Kingdom can become the first major European country to have internet speeds of up to 100 megabits per second by 2017.

Private investors from companies such as Carphone Warehouse and Sky would be given permission to use BT cables to provide the service.

And if the market did not deliver, then a Tory government would extend the 3.5 per cent levy on the BBC licence fee, currently being used for digital switchover, to pay for broadband expansion.

The party believes that rural communities in particular will welcome the announcement.

George Osborne, the shadow chancellor, told the BBC’s Andrew Marr show: "In the 19th Century we built the railways. In the 20th Century we built the motorways.

"In the 21st Century let's build the super-fast broadband network that will create hundreds of thousands of jobs for Britain."

The Tories say they will end BT's "local loop monopoly" and allow other operators to move in with their own ducts and fibre cables, an approach that has proved successful in countries such as Singapore and South Korea.

Jeremy Hunt, the shadow culture secretary said that the policy would lead to "significantly faster" broadband than the Government's commitment of a universal service of two megabits by 2012.

He added: "We are currently one of the slowest countries in the developed world for broadband. With the Conservatives we'll become one of the fastest. “

Labour accused the Tories of “playing catch-up”. And Don Foster, the Liberal Democrat culture, media and sport spokesman, questioned how the party would fund the policy.

"Anyone can promise the earth – what matters is how you

[Nitehawk0325]

I don't think most people realize why the government wants to have Internet service to all homes. All of these energy savings machines, like washers, dryers, air-conditioners, etc.. the government will have control of how much electric, what time you can use them, and ultimately have the ability to shut off these appliances if a homeowner is using “too” much electricity.
I'm just curious how many FR members are aware of this?? Most of my friends are ignorant to these facts.

[jeffc]

I have a friend on the Isle of Man who just got an ADSL line of 16meg down/1 meg up. He says most people there now have it. I’m in Ocala FL and the best I can get is 6 meg down/512k up. Now, I am in a very rural part of FL here as we can’t even get cable, but c’mon! Where’s the 1 gig fiber?