Cash To Improve Hampshire's Broadband

16 August 2011, 12:09 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Rural and hard-to-reach areas in Hampshire have been awarded a share of £362 million to improve their broadband connections.

£8,420,000 of it will be used to improve internet speeds in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

The money, announced by Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, is part of the Government's drive to ensure that 90% of homes and businesses have access to superfast broadband by 2015.

The Government wants the UK to have the best superfast network in Europe by 2015.

Mr Hunt said: "Fast broadband is absolutely vital to our economic growth, to delivering public services effectively, and to conducting our everyday lives.

"But some areas of the UK are missing out, with many rural and hard-to-reach communities suffering painfully slow internet connections or no coverage at all.

"We are not prepared to let some parts of our country get left behind in the digital age."

"I urge all those suffering the frustration of slow internet connections to make it clear to your local elected representatives that you expect them to do what is needed to access this investment and to deliver broadband to your community,'' he added.