“Gigabit-capable internet connections in every new build home in England will help bridge the digital divide and futureproof our communities, given the essential need for access to high-speed, reliable broadband.
Responding to the Government’s announcement of new laws to ensure new homes in England will be built with gigabit broadband connections and telecoms firms will be able to get faster broadband to people living in blocks of flats, Cllr Mark Hawthorne, Digital Connectivity spokesperson for the Local Government Association said:
“Gigabit-capable internet connections in every new build home in England will help bridge the digital divide and futureproof our communities, given the essential need for access to high-speed, reliable broadband.
“Councils have been urging developers to install the best possible access to the internet in new builds and this legal change will make all the difference, along with supporting tenants in existing blocks of flats to get the fastest connections. The Government should also continue efforts to ensure all existing properties have access to the fastest possible broadband.
“While this law will help get more people on better broadband faster, there still remains a substantial gap in gigabit coverage when comparing densely populated towns and cities to our villages and more remote areas.
“The £2,000 cost cap covering the new scheme will have to be kept under review, so that new builds in rural areas are not disproportionately excluded from being able to get faster internet speeds.”