Press & PR

Areas of English countryside are suffering from poorer access to fast broadband services than regions in India and Malawi, it has been suggested.

According to Stuart Burgess, chairman of the Rural Communities Commission and the Government's Rural Advocate, there is a increasing need for investment in technologies which can bring quick internet connections to the countryside.

"For the modern rural economy to develop and grow you need good internet access," he told the Times.

"The current investment plans of the main [communications] providers indicate that many rural businesses and communities could find themselves left behind," he warned.

Mr Burgess had been asked to draw up a review of the countryside economy to take into account the effects of last summer's flooding and recent outbreaks of food and mouth, bluetongue and avian flu.


Better access to broadband connections in areas outside of British towns and cities could allow more people to keep in touch cheaply using an internet voice service, such as that offered by the industry leader Vonage.

Calls across the UK and Ireland are not charged by how long they last, but are instead covered by a fixed monthly fee of £5.99 under VonageV-Plan 1.