Rural areas of Wales will get priority for new fixed broadband and 5G mobile connections, the UK government has pledged.
Announcing details of the Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review (FTIR) plan, at the Royal Welsh Show, it was revealed that there will also be investments in new technologies including a '5G rural testbed' incorporating Monmouthshire.
Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns said the government wanted the benefits of digital to be felt “in every corner of the country’’.
“Wales’ future prosperity depends on it,’’ he said.
“The key to that prosperity lies in infrastructure. This review focuses on the importance of breaking down barriers to connectivity to ensure we can meet the demands of the digital age.’’
Digital, culture, media and sport secretary Jeremy Wright described the plan as a radical new blueprint for the future of telecommunications in Wales.
“The FTIR’s analysis indicates that, without change, full fibre broadband networks will at best only ever reach three quarters of the country, and it would take more than twenty years to do so. It also indicates that 5G offers the potential for an expansion of the telecoms market, with opportunities for existing players and new entrants.’’
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