The party has just announced plans to bring speeds of up to 100 Mbps across the area by 2017.
Mr Brine said the policy stands in stark contrast to the Government’s new £7 per year ‘phone tax’ on every telephone line. Gordon Brown’s Government wants to impose a new £6 + VAT tax which will be levied on every fixed telephone line in all homes and businesses across the country. The tax would be levied on homes with and without broadband access.
Conservatives proposals would increase competition and introduce superfast broadband across the UK. The action plan includes proposals to open up BT’s ‘local loop’ monopoly to other telecommunication operators, and review unfair business rate rules and ensure all new homes are capable of receiving superfast broadband through a fibre to the home network. They will use money currently allocated to the digital TV national switchover to help establish a universal network, and after 2012, look at using this money to ensure superfast broadband reaches rural areas.
At present, 87% of homes across the South East have a fixed telephone line, and 78% have access to some form of broadband internet access.
Steve Brine said: “Local homes and businesses deserve access to the latest 21st Century technology. It’s time to end the digital divide and deliver superfast broadband to all parts of the country, including rural areas where lack of broadband access can often have serious consequences for peoples’ livelihoods. We will open up the BT monopoly, something that is long overdue in my view.”
More information ...
Read all about - and download - the Conservatives Technology Manifesto (cover pictured above) and watch Shadow Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt MP speak at its launch here.