House of Lords gives hope for superfast broadband – Carmichael

A vote in the House of Lords last night, has amended the Digital Economy Bill so that every home has to be served by a 30 Mbps internet connection by 2020 — a three-fold increase on the level promised by the UK Government.

Welcoming the vote, Northern Isles MP Alistair Carmichael described the 30Mbps target as ambitious and will require internet providers to significantly improve their core networks.

He said: “In many parts of Orkney and Shetland, residents struggle to get 0.4 Mbps, so this new target is a step change in the level of service that we will get.

“When the UK Government is investing such significant amounts of money in improving the network, we need to ensure that it is future proofed. We don’t know what internet will be primarily used for five, ten, or 20 years down the line, but a universal 30Mbps service will set us up better for the challenges ahead.”