Press & PR

For those living in remote areas experiencing difficulty obtaining high-speed broadband services, one commentator has offered a number of solutions.

Responding to a letter from two Guardian readers, technology expert Jack Schofield has suggested that there are ways of obtaining high-speed broadband services when traditional routes have failed.

The couple asserted that BT had failed thus far in delivering broadband services - which would have allowed them to take advantage of VoIP products.

While signing up to a dial-up connection is one option, faster service may be provided by coming to a formal arrangement to share bandwidth with a neighbour over Wi-Fi.

"In the long term, there are other possibilities for rural broadband. The main ones are WiMax, which is a kind of long-range Wi-Fi, and Power Line Carrier, which sends broadband over mains electricity cables," Mr Schofield comments.

According to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, improving broadband access is one of the government's top priorities.

Vonage is allowing those with broadband access to make cheap calls using internet phone services.