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UK government failed to bridge urban-rural connectivity divide, report says

The British government failed to reduce the gap between urban and rural areas in terms of broadband and mobile data access, despite improvements in coverage, according to a parliamentary report.

The House of Commons' Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee said the lack or absence of connectivity continues to frustrate and marginalize rural communities and businesses, with the government's "digital-by-default" strategy for providing public services worsening the problem.

The committee report also said the required minimum speed of 10 Mbps under the planned universal service obligation for broadband is not really "universal" and will be obsolete once introduced. Former Prime Minister David Cameron first proposed the measure in 2015, with British Telecom unveiling a similar initiative in 2017.

While the committee welcomed Prime Minister Boris Johnson's pledge to bring universal full-fiber broadband across Britain by 2025, it expressed skepticism that the target will be achieved unless the government implements "substantial new, long-term, public investment and potentially controversial regulatory reforms."

"The problem of poor connectivity in rural areas has gone on for far too long. It is imperative that this problem is resolved and that rural communities are granted the same digital access as the majority of their urban counterparts," said committee chair and Conservative MP Neil Parish.

The committee recommended the government prioritize the delivery of improved connectivity in rural communities, as well as the collection and publication of relevant data for future broadband investment decisions. The government must also ensure the efficient use of public subsidies for broadband infrastructure upgrades.

In addition, the committee urged telecom regulator Ofcom to refine its rules on measuring and advertising broadband speeds. It also proposed setting the minimum superfast broadband speed at 30 Mbps.