Minister confident of super-fast UK business broadband rollout

Communications minister Ed Vaizey has expressed confidence that the government will achieve its business broadband goals.

Speaking at the recent Parliament and Internet Conference, Mr Vaizey declared the Conservative-led coalition is on track to hit the target of delivering Europe's best super-fast broadband network by 2015, reports the Guardian.

Some £530 million of public money has been allocated to the rollout of faster residential and business broadband services in predominantly rural parts of the country that will not be included in private sector deployments.

In an important step towards achieving the government's plans, BT recently cut the prices it charges rival telecoms firms to rent its network of poles and ducts, which can be used to install fibre optic cables.

The need for faster broadband in rural communities has been highlighted by Chris Marling, editor of comparison website BroadbandGenie.co.uk.

Mr Marling said it is important that super-fast broadband rollouts focus on villages, rather than concentrating solely on urban locations.