B4RN says wait for funding slows fibre broadband rollouts

The rollout of fibre optic broadband across the UK is being slowed by bureaucracy and the wait for government funding, according to Broadband for the Rural North (B4RN).

Most of the large projects that are being financed by the Conservative-led coalition's Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) framework are still in the planning stage, while B4RN has managed to raise enough money to begin its own rollout over the past 18 months.

Speaking to PC Pro, chief executive of B4RN Barry Forde said: "I think this is why we have been able to move rapidly, we don't have to hang around all the time waiting on some mirage of public funding."

In contrast, many other projects are reliant upon funding from BDUK or the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Earlier this month, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport revealed that all but two local authorities in England met the deadline for the submission of their initial broadband plans, meaning they are still in line to receive BDUK cash.