Overview

Following the Comprehensive Spending Review in October, one of the areas where there was actually some good news was broadband with the announcement that the government would invest approximately £530m in this area over the next four years.

The government also announced four NGA pilot projects which would initially benefit from funding of between £5m and £10m, with these areas being announced as the Highlands and Islands, the Golden Valley in Herefordshire, North Yorkshire and Cumbria.

Whilst the application of public funds towards costs associated with the provision and operation of broadband infrastructure has been deemed by the European Commission to generally amount to a State aid (and thus is required to be approved by the EC in advance of its grant), the EC has recognised the importance of access to high speed broadband as a key driver in achieving growth within the European Community in economic terms and also in achieving better social and territorial cohesion. This speed-briefing from Eversheds has more.