Devon businessman calls for fibre broadband in rural spots

A businessman who runs a Devon digital marketing agency has claimed that a lack of fibre optic broadband in some areas of the county is restricting local entrepreneurs.

Alastair Banks set up Optix Solutions in the Marsh Barton area of Exeter, which he describes as a "microclimate of bustling business". However, despite the high concentration of enterprises in the area, there are currently no plans for it to be introduced to a next-generation service.

Currently, firms in the area are confined to connection speeds no higher than 2Mbps, well below the UK average.

Mr Banks told the Exeter Express and Echo: "We have a wealth of hugely talented individuals and awesome businesses which are being held back."

He went on to say that local businesses must look to secure "inward investment", as opposed to waiting to be covered under commercial rollout projects by service providers like BT.

His plea follows criticism that the government's decision to award every installation contract from its Broadband Delivery UK programme to BT will lead to rural areas being excluded as they don't satisfy commercial objectives.