P-04-364 Fibre Optic for Rural Areas

Petition wording:

We call on the National Assembly for Wales to urge the Welsh Government to do more to support the roll-out of next generation/fibre optic broadband and to ensure that it is available to everyone in Wales by 2013, including Ecommerce, new communication businesses (IT Industry) and enhanced communication between current businesses while having the side effect of benefiting the local communities. For an example, in the Valleys many families and businesses are stuck with slow speeds in comparison to the rest of the UK. This petition is to get Fibre Optic installed to these areas where businesses already are to be able to help revive the poorest areas in Wales/Cymru.

Date petition first considered by Committee: 7 February 2012

Number of signatures:17

Supporting information: At the moment the Internet Service Providers are under their own duty to get speeds to certain areas and they are partially backed (for the whole of the UK) to get Highspeed Internet to the rural areas. Ofcom & Fujitsu for instance. However this is not a welsh initiative and I personally believe it could provide work for Wales should the Assembly press for it. The benefits to businesses would be great in terms of Communication and E-Commerce and also to attract new business!