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National Broadband Strategy

I am pleased to announce that I will be publishing a national broadband strategy today. The strategy sets out how the Government plan to deliver their ambition to have the best superfast broadband network in Europe by 2015 and build on the commitments I made in my statement to the House on 8 June 2010. A first class broadband infrastructure is essential for creating jobs, opportunities and economic growth in the digital age. Our country needs a reliable and secure broadband capability that encourages innovation and creativity, supports the year-on-year growth of our digital industries—now worth £130 billion or 10% of gross added value, and meets the growing demands of its 40 million users. To that end, I was delighted to secure an unprecedented £830 million of public investment for broadband as part of the recent TV licence fee agreement. The strategy published today will outline how Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) will use the £530 million available in this spending review period to support broadband and stimulate further private sector investment. It sets out the goal of delivering a fibre point in every community in the UK by the end of this Parliament, bringing superfast broadband within reach of communities urban and rural, and commits to ensuring that homes and businesses right across the UK are able to access a decent level of connectivity, even in the most remote areas. The strategy includes:"a mixed-technology approach with fixed, wireless and satellite all having a role. It is recognised that one technology is not suitable for all circumstances, although high capacity fibre optic is likely to be a key feature of the UK's network;""ensuring access to existing infrastructure, including BT's network of ducts and poles and encouraging owners of other networks to develop new revenue streams through selling access to their infrastructure;""new guidance prepared in conjunction with the British Standards Institution and Building Research Establishment to builders and contractors on how to ensure new buildings are broadband-ready in the form of a publicly available specification (PAS 2016);""a commitment to the liberalisation of the 800MHz and 2.6GHz spectrum, to allow the development of next generation mobile services; and""working with local authorities to clarify existing guidance on streetworks and micro-trenching with the aim of reducing the cost of broadband roll-out." I will also be announcing my proposal to use £50 million of the £530 million allocated in the spending review to support a further wave of rural projects in addition to the projects already announced in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, Cumbria, Herefordshire and North Yorkshire. A copy of the strategy and a full copy of my speech will be deposited in the Libraries of both Houses.