Stuck at a snail's pace: government drops 'internet for all by 2012' pledge

The previous government's pledge to deliver a 2MB broadband connection to everyone in the country by 2012 has been abandoned by the new coalition, blaming lack of funding.

The promise was originally made as part  of a big noise surrounding the Digital Britain report - intended to ensure that Britain did not fall behind in terms of broadband access. Even at that stage, the government was accused of setting the bar pitifully low, while at the same time being asked exactly how it intended to achieve such a feat. The idea of using mobile and satellite broadband to reach the not-spots was mooted, and funding was intended to come from the 'digital dividend' - the surplus of funding created by moving television to digital and switching off analogue.

Now, however, culture secretary Jeremy Hunt has said that the funding allocation made by the previous government was 'just not enough'. Speaking at a conference held by Broadband Delivery UK - a new Department of Business unit which will be responsible for managing Britain's broadband - he said that while the 2012 target wasn't achievable, nevertheless it was his ambition to deliver "the best broadband network in Europe by the end of this parliament".

Even leaving aside the 'best broadband in Europe' bit, that gives the current government until 2015 to upgrade those parts of Britain which have painfully slow internet access, and to connect the estimated 160,000 rural homes which aren't connected at all.