Welsh broadband push pays off

The Welsh Assembly says that its £115m funding in broadband is proving its worth as companies choose to invest in Wales due to the availability of high speed communications.

Welsh eMinister Andrew Davies says that companies such as US defence systems supplier General Dynamics are investing in the principality largely because of the broadband infrastructure.

The Assembly plans to increase broadband availability by 30 per cent above what the market can deliver.

'That is 300,000 homes and 67,000 businesses that would have been left behind,' said Davies.

The Welsh Assembly announced its £115m investment for broadband in July, claiming it is the biggest government investment in the technology in the UK.

'There are big developments and big opportunities for broadband in Wales. IT is key to our change programme. Its about hard outcomes and delivery,' said Davies.

'For us broadband is a means to an end and not an end in its own right. We want to be a broadband content consumer and producer. We need both of these to happen to see real social and economic benefits.'

Davies says that by March 2003, 47 per cent of schools will have broadband connections - 2Mbps for primary and 8Mbps for secondary. Two-thirds of Welsh GPs are online at 256kbps. The Assembly will also provide fibre into key business parks.

'Cardiff has one of the fastest take-ups of ADSL in the country,' he said.

The Broadband in Wales campaign is raising awareness with a series of roadshows. It is offering a subsidy of £1,500 for satellite communications to businesses that cannot access ADSL, which brings the cost down to around the same as coventional broadband.

Although the scheme was only launched seven weeks ago, 60 companies have already taken advantage, with 600 information packs sent out.

Keith Todd, chairman of the Broadband Stakeholder Group said: 'Devolved government plays a central role. This is a market lead revolution, but leadership in the local regions will ensure there is widespread coverage by 2005.'