Superfast 
internet 
plans in 
danger of 
collapse

A council report has revealed serious doubts about whether the programme to extend basic and high-speed internet in West Yorkshire will meet the Government’s promise that every home and business in the UK will have broadband before the end of the current Parliament.

The Government set aside more than half a billion pounds to help meet its “universal service commitment” which states that every home must have access to a basic 2Mbs connection by 2015, with at least 90 per cent able to access ‘superfast’ speeds of at least 25Mbs.

Culture Minister Ed Vaisey has insisted he is “happy” both targets will be met, but the report by officers at Leeds City Council warns some 3,500 properties across Leeds will still be left without basic coverage, along with thousands more across the county.

The report states it would cost a further £100m to extend basic 2Mbs broadband to every home and business in West Yorkshire – a cost the Government has apparently deemed “not viable”.

The report says: “After the project, there will be 1.1 per cent of the (Leeds) district’s premises who still cannot access broadband. This will equate to approximately 3,500 homes in the most inaccessible, largely rural areas.

“To fund broadband to this properties would cost a further £100m across West Yorkshire, and this is not seen by the Government as being viable.”

The council said it wants whichever private telecoms firm wins the contract bridge the £100m funding gap.

A spokesman for the Department for Culture said it received a commitment that its targets will be met, and now “expects” the local authorities to deliver.

The report makes clear the problem is not just confined to Leeds, with thousands more properties across Bradford, Wakefield, Kirklees and Calderdale out of reach. “Other West Yorkshire authorities will also have these ‘white spots’,” it states. “Whilst the proportions change from authority to authority, Leeds fairs comparatively well with the number of inaccessible areas.”

The Government has set aside a total of £540m for local councils to areas where private operators such as BT and Virgin have deemed it too expensive to build an entirely commercial network.

In North Yorkshire, a deal has been struck with BT that will see universal 2Mbs coverage by 2014. BT has agreed to fund around half of the £50m project.

But the sheer size of the funding gap in West Yorkshire calls into question whether every home and business can possibly be reached.

A Leeds council spokesman emphasised its plan does meet, and even exceed the Government’s second target, with 93 per cent of homes to be reached with ‘superfast’ speeds. “Through the procurement process we are aiming to cover at least 90 per cent at superfast speeds, with the other 10 per cent receiving a minimum of 2Mbs,” he said.

The Government insists both its target will be met, and said it expects the authority to have 100 per cent coverage by 2015.

A spokesman for the Department for Culture said: “West Yorkshire has made a commitment in its local broadband plan to deliver superfast broadband to at least 90 per cent of premises, with the remainder receiving broadband at speeds not less than 2Mbps. The Government expects that 100 per cent broadband coverage will be delivered by a range of technologies in West Yorkshire by 2015.”