New super-fast broadband services must be given to communities which have previously been bypassed, Ofcom's Consumer Panel has said.
Britain's "digital divide" must be bridged with targeted upgrades of broadband networks, the Ofcom Consumer Panel has demanded.
According to the influential group, areas of the UK and social groups which have been excluded from broadband services should be the first to get next-generation super-fast networks. However, this proposal is likely to be resisted by the industry, as those who have not yet gained access tend to live on low incomes or in remote areas - and are therefore not as cost-effective to provide with the technology.
Anna Bradley, chairperson of the Panel, commented: "If we are imaginative and use a mix of private and public business models, we could provide a way for consumers who are excluded from first generation broadband to leapfrog straight to the next generation.
"Decisions need to be informed by a proper sense of the value of next generation networks, not just to companies and consumers, but to the economy and society as a whole."
To this end, Ms Bradley said that super-fast networks would be effective in promoting community, rather than merely commerce-based, services - such as education and remote medical care.
Figures from the Office of National Statistics show that 35 percent of Britons do not have an internet connection at home. Of those who do, 91 percent have broadband.
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