The Welsh Assembly Government has launched a new private sector focused open market review into what businesses in Wales (UK) are doing to help support and invest in Next Generation Access (NGA) broadband internet services.

It's hoped that the information returned will help Welsh Ministers determine where, in the absence of private sector investment, the deployment of the superfast broadband ISP networks should be focussed (i.e. areas that will not benefit from faster access via the private sector).


Under the present Digital Wales plan, all of the country's businesses must be able to receive a superfast connection speed of at least 30Mbps by 2016. However, households in the region will have to wait until 2020 for the same commitment to be achieved, which is 9 very long and painfully slow years away.

Today's move appears to be connected with the Welsh Affairs Select Committee's recent decision to launch an inquiry into the woeful coverage of broadband internet access in Wales (here).