100mb Broadband Speeds By 2017

Higher broadband speeds are soon to be a reality if the current UK political parties stick to their promises.

They will attempt to offer speeds of up to 100MB's when the scheme to lay down a more extensive network of fibre optic cables goes ahead.

The work is due to be completed by 2017 and faster broadband access will be in most homes except rural areas.

In order to pay for the structural changes, taxes set aside by the BBC for digital switch over will be used instead and where some costs can't be met then an amount from the licence fee will be used.

With the licence fee costing each person £142.50 per year then 3.5% of that would cost £5 a year each household.

With 25 million TV licence payers in the UK the money raised could total between £750m and £1bn.

George Osbourne, Shadow Chancellor of the Conservative Party has said,
"In the 19th century we built the railways. In the 20th century we built the motorways.

In the 21st century, let's build the super-fast broadband network that will create hundreds of thousands of jobs for Britain".

The Labour party has already made a commitment to increase broadband speeds with a target for most households to have speeds of 2MB by 2012.

This will be paid for by a broadband tax of 50p which should raise up to 1.15 bn resulting in 90% coverage. The next broadband generation coverage will go further and hits speeds of 25Mbps + and be available by 2017.

George Osbourne has stated that due certain parts of the market not being able to expand due to lack of competition then the best way to
resolve this would be to break up BT's monopoly which can hold back others companies such as Carphone Wharehouse and Virgin Media.

The conservatives said that government plans for the £6-a-year rate were unacceptable, as it is believed that around three million households across the UK without broadband access will still have to pay for it. It is also thought that around 200,000 homes may not be able to afford the tax.

Millions who don't want broadband may be forced to pay, and tens of thousands will no longer be able to afford the internet.

Whichever way you look at it the race is on for a better and faster broadband connection.

By: David Swan

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

David Swan is a staff writer for the broadband news and reviews website ChooseISP which helps users to compare broadband deals. The website also has tools available to help its users find the fastest broadband.