NextGen speakers call for affordable fibre broadband

Fibre optic broadband must be delivered at a price people can afford if it is transform lives and societies, according to speakers at this year's NextGen conference.

Held at Bristol's University of the West of England Conference Centre, the event attracted a record number of visitors and industry figures from across the world to discuss the challenges facing super-fast broadband rollouts.

One of the speakers, European Commission Vice President Neelie Kroes, revealed one in four citizens across the continent has still never accessed the internet.

In the UK alone, it is believed more than eight million adults are non-internet users.

Ms Kroes added Europe is falling behind its international rivals in providing fast fibre optic broadband networks.

"The internet is an economic essential for everyone from businesses, small and large, to academia and the creative industries," she stated.

"Fast broadband is the digital oxygen allowing this ecosystem to thrive and grow."

According to Ms Kroes, up to €270 billion (£232 billion) of investment is needed in Europe's fibre broadband infrastructure.