Tivy-Side Advertiser reports on comments from Ben Lake MP (PC) about the ‘significant’ challenges faced by rural communities regarding digital and transport connectivity

During a Westminster Hall debate, Mr Lake noted that connectivity ‘remains a tremendous challenge for the rural economy of Wales’.

The report also referenced statistics in Ofcom’s 2020 Connected Nations report that nearly 9,000 premises in Wales cannot access a decent fixed broadband service or get good 4G coverage indoors, with almost all those premises in rural areas.

In the rural areas of Wales, it is estimated that 26.5 per cent do not receive a decent broadband connection (10mbps) compared with the UK average of 9.3 per cent.

Mr Lake MP welcomed the recent pilot broadband upgrade scheme carried out by DCMS.

Yet despite the scheme’s initial success, he also pointed out that Openreach’s announcement of a commercial roll-out in the next four or five years has thrown many imminent broadband upgrade projects into uncertainty.

Full article:

Tivy-Side Advertiser - Digital connectivity still a tremendous challenge for rural communities – MP Ben