Broadband network expansion to be hastened in Wales

The expansion of broadband access in Wales is to be faster, according to a minister who has admitted the country currently gets a "raw deal", reports the BBC.

Creative industries minister Sion Simon told the AM-PM programme on BBC Wales that broadband access remains a major issue in more remote parts of the country but that the UK government will be hastening improvements.

Rural communities often have poor broadband access as they are not close to telephone exchanges, meaning they could miss out on the use of VoIP solutions and high-speed downloads.

Mr Simon told the programme: "You are right that Wales currently gets a raw deal from commercially provided broadband. The commitment is for universal broadband at a minimum of two megabits per second (Mbps) across the UK by 2012".

The government in Westminster recently set the 2012 target as part of its Digital Britain report and internet service providers also face pressure to invest in next-generation fibre optic technology.