Rural Broadband

The CLA's broadband campaign to bring about fast access to the internet for all rural users is one of our top priorities.

 Join the national coalition of groups and individuals we are putting together to make sure that fibre optic goes to every home in the UK.

Large parts of rural Britain still lack a broadband connection or receive a very poor service. As a result thousands of businesses in the countryside are at an unfair disadvantage to those in cities.

The CLA urges the Government to:

• Introduce a universal service obligation for broadband speed of two megabits per second to every door by 2012,
• Put in place a private-public partnership to make sure there is enough money to pay for the roll out. 

 It is expected to cost around £15bn to get fibre optic into every home. The Government's proposed 50p levy on phone lines will not raise enough by itself.

Sign our rural broadband petition.

Why it is urgent

Broadband is as essential to businesses as water, gas and electricity. Without it they are not competitive.

Around 18 - 20 percent of rural areas cannot get broadband.  They are in "not-spots" - areas where broadband is not available. We estimate that around 100,000 businesses, with a total turnover of up to £60bn, are being held back.

It is unjust that rural businesses should be at a disadvantage. It is made worse by Government efforts to move forms of administration, such as tax and the Single Farm Payment, online.

A lack of broadband means economic recovery in the countryside is being held back. It means the whole rural community, from pensioners to school pupils, is at a significant disadvantage.

We want a stop to "not-spots".

Remote areas are denied the very tool which could transform their lives. But the problem is not confined to them. Even rural districts of England's "Silicon Valley" area, near Reading, and some places close to the M25 have problems.

This urban-rural "digital divide" is getting wider as companies providing broadband focus on urban areas because they are profitable. Urgent action is needed to get rid of the gap.

NEWS

Britain needs an adequate and effective broadband speed to every home much sooner than 2017, welcome as the Conservative pledge is to introduce it by that date. The 20 per cent of rural areas with no access should be a priority. (February 1, 2010)

www.cla.org.uk/News_and_Press/Latest_Releases/

Lord Mandelson's commitment to provide £1 billion of investment for next-generation-access broadband through the proposed 50p broadband levy is welcome but does not go far enough...read more (January 7, 2010)

www.cla.org.uk/News_and_Press/Latest_Releases/Rural_Economy/Broadband/1001025.htm/

Forcing business to complete tax returns online is impossible in broadband "not-spots" says the CLA. HMRC's decision to tell businesses with a turnover of more than £100,000 a year that they can only fill out tax returns online is absurd.....read more (November 30th, 2009)

 www.cla.org.uk/News_and_Press/News_Archive/Broadband/Broadband/1000827.htm/

 BUILDING ON PAST SUCCESS

The CLA began lobbying for broadband to be available in all rural areas in 2002. As a result, BT took action. By 2005 most of Britain had access to fixed-line broadband. Those left without it, however, are in the countryside. This is the deficit we are now campaigning to correct.

Broadband news archive.

Details about the CLA rural broadband service can be found in the Member Services area of this website.

Dr Charles Trotman – Head of Rural Business Development

An economist, advises on rural economic issues, particularly food policy, rural tourism, equine issues and telecommunications policy.

Phone: 020 7460 7939
FAX: 020 7235 4696
Email charles.trotman@cla.org.uk