In response to Mr Hunt’s comments, Ian Thomas, Director, Strategy Development at Cable&Wireless Worldwide said, “There is little doubt that the UK’s public broadband network lags behind those found in many comparable economies. However, a clear distinction must be drawn between consumer broadband networks and networks designed specifically for the use of businesses. A lot of the analysis of the state of broadband in this country blurs this distinction and, therefore, draws incorrect conclusions. When it comes to enterprise broadband networks, the UK is actually one of the world leaders.
In order to roll out 2MB broadband across the country, innovative solutions such as our recent WAN implementation which delivered broadband access to the rural Scottish Highlands and Islands and changed the way five local authorities and businesses communicate, learn and share information across more than 800 sites are called for.
By looking at the business networks on offer today, those involved in the country-wide rollout will get a better understanding of the technologies and service levels that will be required to provide consumers with data-rich applications and services that will be the envy of the world.”