Are potential IP telephony users in the countryside being ignored?

There could be thousands of people in the rural parts of the UK with a desire to use internet protocol (IP) telephony solutions who are being let down by the poor broadband connection available to them.

Secretary of state Caroline Spelman recently recognised that the countryside has been abandoned by the government in a number of ways – an admission welcomed by the Country Land and Business Association (CLA).

One of the ways in which the politician suggested the countryside is being ignored is broadband, which remains poor in many areas.

CLA president Harry Cotterell said this is a message his organisation has been trying to get across for many years.

"More needs to be done to ensure fairness for rural communities and businesses – with a commitment to providing fast broadband for all," he stated.

Achieving this could provide businesses with a platform on which to run a fast and reliable IP telephony system.

John Popham, an IT and social media expert, told the Hull Daily Mail recently that he believes every home and business is entitled to high-speed broadband links.