Provision of super fast broadband is a Herculean task, according to service providers

The Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) project has the goal of making available universal broadband access to the whole of UK. Apart from that it intends to bring next generation broadband networks to 90% of the country by 2017. The service providers and operators are submitting their bids for the project. But the project seems to be running into rough weather. One of the providers ‘Geo Networks’ has decided to pull out of the bid complaining that BT Broadband has been given undue importance by BDUK whereas the interest of the smaller contractors is ignored. BT’s charges for using their ducts and poles by the other service providers are enormous. Further BT would allow the use of the ducts and poles only for providing the final connection from local exchange to the residence of the consumer. Another service provider Fujitsu has also decided not to participate in the bid on account of more or less the same reasons. Of late, ‘Cable & Wireless’, yet another provider has also followed the footsteps of Fujitsu and Geo Networks. These developments have caused concern for the government. BDUK has set aside GBP 68.8 million for providing at least 2 Mbps for users in Highlands and Islands region of Scotland. But according to Alex Neil, the Scottish cabinet secretary, the amount is too low and that a minimum of GBP 300 million would be necessary for getting the work successfully completed. Fujitsu also declared that a much higher amount will be needed to bring in super fast broadband to various regions. Any way there are no complaints from ‘BT’, the biggest service provider. The geography and topography of the Highlands and Island regions are such that it is not easy to carry on with the project work. But BT is interested in taking up the challenge in the interest of the nation and its subjects.