THE CLA has criticised the recent Digital Britain report as evidence that the government is still failing to understand the urgent need of rural business for universal high-speed internet access.

The rural economy experts welcomed the report’s idea for a 50p levy on all fixed copper lines to help to fund broadband for all and also the use of an estimated £200million contribution from unspent digital switchover funds. However, the CLA said the report had not put any figures on how much extra cash would be generated from others sources and said it was “highly doubtful” the figures raised would be enough to provide access for all.

CLA President, Henry Aubrey-Fletcher, said: “The CLA has said time and time again that Government investment is an essential prerequisite to rolling out broadband to all. This is a fair first attempt at trying to resolve the digital divide but more needs to be done if those in remoter parts of the country are to have a future in digital Britain.”

The CLA said that “contention rates” - with many more people signing up for broadband by 2012 - would slow down the service, meaning that a Universal Service Commitment of up to two megabytes a second would actually not deliver a speed of two megabytes a second.

The CLA President added: “As more people gain access to broadband, the strain on the service will increase and speeds will slow. It is also true that by 2012 a broadband speed of just two megabytes a second will not be sufficient for many applications. That’s why the CLA is calling for five megabytes a second for all under a universal service commitment.

“Countless studies have underlined our point that, without a clear commitment from Government, rural areas will become digital age outcasts.

“We call on the Government to look at all the available options in a visionary way. One possible solution is rural communities piggy-backing on unused public sector bandwidth.”