Government pushes for super-fast broadband for most of UK by 2015

The Government said it wanted nine in 10 homes and businesses in the UK to have access to super-fast broadband by 2015.

Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt said improvements to the UK's broadband network infrastructure would mean that every home and business would have at least 2Mbits/sec by 2015; with speeds of 40Mbits/sec and higher available to 90 per cent in every local authority area.

The industry is expected to pay for the majority of the investment into building networks to around two-thirds of the country.

For areas that are not considered financially viable by internet service providers, the Government said county councils, unitary authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships can apply for a share of the £530m that has been allocated for these areas.

"We have set aside the money and the expertise to make this happen. Now local authorities need to step up to the plate by bringing forward their own plans setting out how they will deliver this level of ambition," said Mr Hunt.

From next month Ofcom will publish the first of an annual 'league table' of broadband performance in each local authority area.