Extortionate rural broadband quote

The Metro has reported on the case of a retired man living in rural England who was quoted half a million pounds to install high speed Wi-Fi in his home in a remote hamlet in the Lake District

The Government’s ‘Universal Service Obligation’ scheme gives the public a right to ‘decent and affordable’ broadband, meaning people will be given up to £3,400 from the Government as a contribution towards each installation.

However, as one resident was quoted £502,586.40 to access the broadband, the article highlights how the issue is a ‘real problem’ which is inhibiting rural residents from feeling connected.

The problems are also unevenly experienced, with some neighbouring villages having BT fibre broadband installed free of charge. The resident interviewed said that ‘with fibre-optic broadband, rural areas are being left out in the cold’.

Meanwhile, Computer Weekly reports that a quarter of a million rural homes and businesses across England have been given access to more financial help to get super-fast and above broadband speeds up to gigabit levels.

The Government has announced more than £22 million of additional funding into its broadband voucher scheme to help tackle connectivity problems felt in hard-to-reach areas.

Full articles:

The Metro - Man quoted £500,000 for ‘affordable’ broadband at his rural home

Computer Weekly - UK government furthers investment in rural broadband