Skip to main content

The UK is promising ‘superfast’ broadband to everyone in the country by 2020

An Internet speed test.
Tomislav Pinter/Shutterstock
Think Internet access is a universal right? You may want to consider a move to the United Kingdom. On Monday, Prime Minister David Cameron pledged “fast broadband” to everyone living in his country, noting that all of his country’s citizens have “the legal right to request a connection to broadband with speeds of 10Mbps, no matter where they live.” Currently, the U.K.’s Universal Service Obligation (USO) stands at speeds of 2Mbps, which means that Cameron will have to quintuple present offerings over the next five years in order to meet his promise. And while politicians don’t have the best track record for delivering on their pledges, the Prime Minister seems particularly set on this initiative.

“Access to the Internet shouldn’t be a luxury; it should be a right — absolutely fundamental to life in 21st-century Britain,” Cameron said in a statement. “Just as our forebears effectively brought gas, electricity, and water to all, we’re going to bring fast broadband to every home and business that wants it. That’s right: We’re getting Britain — all of Britain — online, and on the way to becoming the most prosperous economy in the whole of Europe.”

Recommended Videos

Already, the U.K. has a strong online presence, with official estimates stating that over 83 percent of homes and businesses across the nation have broadband connections of 24Mbps, considered “superfast.” This proportion is projected to reach 95 percent within the next two years. But it’s the small percentage of Brits who have yet to experience these connection speeds who the government is now targeting. In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today program, Culture Minister Ed Vaizey said, “We want to upgrade the universal service obligation to provide fast broadband speeds of 10Mbps for the very hardest to reach homes and businesses. Those at the end of the line [are the ones] we are desperate to get to.”

Despite these admirable goals, critics have been quick to point out the flaws in the prime minister’s plans, pointing at both a history of broken promises from both Cameron and the government at large. This is by no means the first time the British legislature has attempted to roll out universal access to the Internet, but they haven’t exactly been successful. And now, there are questions as to where exactly the funding for this “superfast” connectivity is going to come from.

“Five years after abandoning Labour’s fully funded commitment to universal broadband, the government’s “superfast” broadband rollout is still being hit with delays and at the mercy of a single provider,” said Chi Onwurah, shadow minister for culture and the digital economy.

Still, a commitment at least implies a recognition of need, and at the very least, that is a step in the right direction.

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
PayPal vs. Venmo vs. Cash App vs. Apple Cash: which app should you use?
PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, and Apple Wallet apps on an iPhone.

We’re getting closer every day to an entirely cashless society. While some folks may still carry around a few bucks for emergencies, electronic payments are accepted nearly everywhere, and as mobile wallets expand, even traditional credit and debit cards are starting to fall by the wayside.

That means many of us are past the days of tossing a few bills onto the table to pay our share of a restaurant tab or slipping our pal a couple of bucks to help them out. Now, even those things are more easily doable from our smartphones than our physical wallets.

Read more
How to change margins in Google Docs
Laptop Working from Home

When you create a document in Google Docs, you may need to adjust the space between the edge of the page and the content --- the margins. For instance, many professors have requirements for the margin sizes you must use for college papers.

You can easily change the left, right, top, and bottom margins in Google Docs and have a few different ways to do it.

Read more
What is Microsoft Teams? How to use the collaboration app
A close-up of someone using Microsoft Teams on a laptop for a videoconference.

Online team collaboration is the new norm as companies spread their workforce across the globe. Gone are the days of primarily relying on group emails, as teams can now work together in real time using an instant chat-style interface, no matter where they are.

Using Microsoft Teams affords video conferencing, real-time discussions, document sharing and editing, and more for companies and corporations. It's one of many collaboration tools designed to bring company workers together in an online space. It’s not designed for communicating with family and friends, but for colleagues and clients.

Read more