THE internet clearly offers much to areas such as Cumbria, enabling businesses and individuals to network with contacts around the world just as easily as if they were in a major city centre.

However, extending good-quality connectivity to places outside major cities is often not commercially viable and therefore needs a public subsidy.

Since 2015 the European Union’s European Regional Development Fund has provided Cumbria with £2 million to fund rural broadband and £1.5 million to fund superfast broadband for business. This has brought high-level broadband coverage to 93 per cent of Cumbria with the plan being to reach 100 per cent coverage in 2021.

However, the digital revolution continues and there is a need to keep pace with developing technology. The EU has agreed multiple policy measures and financial instruments that encourage private and public investments in fast and ultra-fast networks. Their main strategic objectives for the years to 2025 include access to download speeds of at least 100Mbps to be upgraded to 1 gigabit per second for all European households (full-fibre and gigabit-capable broadband).

Britain is leaving the EU and so must develop its own plans. The government has announced it intends to bring full-fibre and gigabit-capable broadband to every home and business across Britain by 2033 (eight years later than the EU) although the Conservative manifesto did suggest this should be brought forward to 2025 to match the target set by the EU but was not specific about how this would be achieved.

However, there are concerns that in practice Britain won't even achieve the 2033 target because effective plans are not in place and enough skilled workers may not be available.

The Confederation of British Industry has warned Britain risks falling behind the rest of the world in terms of access to speedy and reliable internet, while also worsening the gap between urban and rural areas; and according to Think Broadband, Britain’s largest independent broadband news and information site: “Our current projection is that half the United Kingdom will have access to full fibre in 2032, and 100 per cent coverage in 2046.”

If this is correct it would mean Brexit Britain would lag behind the EU in digital connectivity not by eight years but by 21 years. The negative economic impact would be felt especially in areas such as Cumbria where development is least likely to be commercially viable. Perhaps this is an issue to which Cumbria County Council should turn its attention.

Adrian Waite

Appleby