The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills launched a consultation on Thursday on the best way to invest the £1 billion being brought in by the 50p broadband levy. Check it out here.
I did get a bit excited the other day when I read somewhere that Gordon Brown had announced more money to support NGA Broadband rollout. Upon investigation I realised that it was the money already on the table. A bit of a disappointment but not really a surprise!
What people mustn’t forget that when we say a £billion we mean a £billion over 7 years. They missed a trick here. Gordon could have announced £2billion over 14 years or 3£billion over 14 years and upped the fifty pence tax to a pound, phased in in seven years time (and so on).
Flippancy notwithstanding it behoves all stakeholders to read the consultation document and respond as appropriate to serve their best interests.
One reply on “BIS Launches Consultation on How to Spend Money”
it will take longer than 7 years to raise, as many will sack off the landline (as they already are doing), and elderly and poor will be exempt. also it may not get through statute before election, and if cons get in they will chuck it out as jeremy hunt doesn’t care about rural NGA. Also even if by some miracle it gets through openretch will con govt into installing BET, which as we know is the copper cabal protecting its obsolete interests…
o dear o dear.
poor old digitalbritain.
can nobody see the ROI for fibre rollout? get fibre to the rurals and the market will take care of the urbans, and everyone is happy…