Scottish model urged for UK broadband

The measures taken in Scotland to speed up and expand broadband coverage could be a lesson to the rest of the UK it has been claimed.

Scottish enterprise minister Jim Mather said examples in America and Canada had already shown that "by targeting specific areas, you actually improve broadband access faster".

Speaking to Computer Weekly he said regional development agencies and local government bodies had been crucial to broadband development in the country.

The gross value added to Scotland's economy in 2015 is expected to be £2 billion to £6 billion higher due to business take-up of broadband.

It has been implemented by the Scottish Reach Project and a further £3.5 million contract will be awarded later this year to provide broadband to the one per cent of Scotland still without access.

Figures from the Office fro National Statistics show 84 per cent of UK households with internet access had a broadband connection in 2007, up from 69 per cent in 2006.