Broadband Fixed Wireless (Hansard, 20 December 2000)

HC Deb 20 December 2000 vol 360 cc187-8W 187W

§ Mr. Duncan
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what percentage of rural areas will be left without broadband fixed wireless access following the recent 28 GHz auction; and what measures are being considered to assist those rural communities excluded from such access; [141658]
(2) what impact the recent auction of licences for the provision of broadband fixed wireless access at 28 GHz will have on the availability of high-speed Internet access in rural areas. [141659]

§ Ms Hewitt
Most of the licences awarded were for regions where there is a mix of rural and urban areas. Those regions where licences were sold cover 57 per cent. of the UK population and include extensive rural areas in the North of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. I will be exploring ways of licensing broadband fixed wireless access in those regions where licences remained unsold. Wireless is only one way of delivering higher bandwidth services. Other ways include DSL over188W copper telephone lines, cable modems, third generation mobile and satellite. As stated in the White Paper "Our Countryside: The Future", the Government will work through the development agencies, and in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, to develop effective strategies for the roll-out of higher bandwidth services in rural areas.

§ Mr. Duncan
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what impact the recent auction for broadband fixed wireless access will have on the Government's aim of making broadband access universally available. [141657]

§ Ms Hewitt
Broadband Fixed Wireless Access licences have now been issued for an area covering nearly 60 per cent. of the population, including Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North of England.
Wireless is only one way of delivering bandwidth services. Other ways include DSL over copper telephone lines, cable modems, third generation mobile and satellite. As stated in the White Paper "Our Countryside: The Future", the Government will work through the development agencies, and in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, to develop effective strategies for the roll-out of higher bandwidth services in rural areas.