Council plots business broadband upgrades

Local firms and individuals in one part of the UK are to be quizzed on their business broadband connections as their council plans to make improvements to the service they receive.

North Somerset Council has asked people to have their say on the matter by completing a survey, reported the Weston, Worle and Somerset Mercury.

It expects to be able to offer 1,000 businesses in the area broadband speeds of between 20Mbps and 50Mbps by 2015, in addition to more than 20,000 homes.

David Turner, director of development and environment at the council, said the scheme is the most ambitious of all those in the UK to have won government backing.

The local authority has teamed up with Somerset County Council, Devon County Council, Torbay Council and Plymouth City Council to ensure the benefits are as widespread as possible.

Dave Dadds, deputy chairman of the Federation of Communication Services, recently said the roll-out of fibre-optic broadband in the UK will help to reinforce the message that VoIP is very much the communications medium of the future.