‘A world-class economy requires world-class broadband’

Technology has come an incredibly long way in an amazingly short time. When I started using a computer at school, a machine less powerful than an iPad took up an entire room. Mobile phones didn't exist and internet broadband was science fiction. 

Now it’s essential. It means we can keep in touch with loved ones anywhere in the world and our children can play games or even do their homework. Many of us benefit from online shopping. Many of us now work from home. A world-class economy requires world-class broadband connections.

So we are going to give people a legal right to request an affordable connection to broadband. And rural areas must not miss out. The next British tech city may not be a city at all.

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Everyone across the whole of our country should have the security and opportunity that high-speed broadband brings. Thanks to this Conservative government, by next month 3.5 million more UK homes and businesses will have access to superfast broadband – often twice as fast as predicted. Our broadband is beating Germany, France, Italy and Spain. We have wider coverage, more choice and lower prices. By the end of 2017, 95 per cent of the UK will have access to superfast broadband services

The regulator Ofcom will publish information about broadband speeds in different postcode areas. This will help homebuyers, as well as businesses when they look for new premises. Ofcom will also release a mobile app that lets people check that their Wi-Fi set-up is working properly.

All of this is brilliant news for businesses, TV-lovers, inventors, online shoppers, and the UK economy.