'We funded our own broadband network'
The government's rollout of "superfast" broadband to rural areas is about two years behind its original schedule, an official audit has found.
The report said only nine of 44 rural areas would reach targets for high-speed internet by 2015, and four areas could also miss a revised 2017 target.
Christine Conder, is a campaigner for rural broadband, who built her own network along with other members of her local community.
She told the Today programme: "The process so far has not supported other companies to access the funding to build innovative networks. It is only supporting one company who will patch up the network they've got, and give some people faster broadband. So we're really welcoming this new initiative to find out what's gone wrong with the process."
However the Communications Minister, Ed Vaizey, ensured that the programme will "end up connecting more households than originally planned."
He said: "We under promised and we're going to over deliver, because with the same amount of money we're going to deliver broadband to 92% of the country, superfast broadband to 92% of the country. And that's why we've also announced additional funding of £250 million to take it out to 95%."
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Friday 5 July 2013.
05 Jul 2013
- From the section UK