MPs to investigate broadband speeds

MPs will investigate broadband speeds in the UK and assess whether the aim to provide all homes with a minimum of 2Mbps is "ambitious enough"

Members of the Commons Business and Enterprise Committee have been given the task of conducting the inquiry, which follows on from the publication of the Digital Britain report, which outlined the government's internet strategy.

The rolling out of widespread faster broadband could help small and medium enterprises use voice over internet protocol applications with greater ease.

Andrew Ferguson, editor of broadband site ThinkBroadband, told the BBC: "The direction of broadband in the UK is running a real risk of suffering a death by committee syndrome, when other countries have set their countries and working towards actual network builds."

He added that while it may be unpopular to say that the nation will need to pay for broadband "somehow", whether by a tax or bills, it is a truth.

When Digital Britain was released, prime minister Gordon Brown said that having internet access is as vital to domestic and commercial users as water and gas.