24/10/2008

Making the roll-out of a fibre network across the UK government-funded could simultaneously help the economy and reduce the digital divide, according to an industry commentator.

The Guardian's Michael Cross pointed out that as nationalisation is taking place in the financial sector, the same could be beneficial for broadband.

He also noted that the chancellor had said Britain must invest in public works to help the economy, and he believes that making the fibre network one such project makes a lot of sense, as it would also help provide internet access throughout the country.

'There's that gaping hole in the public accounts, but there's also a search for Keynesian investments to see us through the bad times,' he wrote.

'Few projects would meet the bill as neatly as a national effort to provide fibre-to-the-home broadband, and few would do more to promote digital inclusion.'

A report on UK-wide superfast broadband by former Cable & Wireless boss Francesco Caio said that a fibre roll-out should not be funded by the government.