UK to Push Universal Service Goal Back 3 Years

WASHINGTON July 15, 2010 – With a tightening budget the United Kingdom government has decided to push back their universal service deadline by 3 years. Last year the nation had committed to bringing 2 Megabits per second to all citizens by 2012 but will now push the deadline to 2015. Tory Culture Se

WASHINGTON July 15, 2010 – With a tightening budget the United Kingdom government has decided to push back their universal service deadline by 3 years. Last year the nation had committed to bringing 2 Megabits per second to all citizens by 2012 but will now push the deadline to 2015.

Tory Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt claimed that the plan which was developed by the Labour party was impractical giving budget constraints.

Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt

“I have looked at the provision the government had made to achieve this by 2012. And I’m afraid that I am not convinced that there is sufficient funding in place,” Hunt told a gathering of telecoms operators.

“So, while we will keep working towards that date, we have set ourselves a more realistic target of achieving universal 2Mbps access within the lifetime of this parliament.”

Currently 99 percent of homes can get a connection but not all are able to achieve the 2Mbps the government wants.