Posted: 24th Jan, 2012 By: MarkJ

The
Welsh Government has just
published new maps and details of locations around
Wales (UK) that reveal where it proposes to use
public money for supporting the rollout of
Next Generation Access (NGA) super-fast broadband ISP services. The move comes on the same day that
Fujitsu announced its withdrawal from a related tender process (
here).
Proposed Regional NGA Intervention Map of Wales (PDF)
http://wales.gov.uk/docs/det/policy/120124ngbwareamaps.pdf
The new maps claim to form part of the Welsh Government's
Open Market Review – Phase 2, which follows the completion of a
Phase 1 review (this examined what the private sector was doing to invest in related services). The maps themselves appear to show that the vast major of Wales, which is predominantly rural, will require intervention.
The current
Digital Wales strategy aims to make "
super-fast" (
30Mbps+) broadband internet access services available to all businesses by the middle of 2016, with access for households set to follow by 2020.
Welsh Business Minister, Edwina Hart, said:
"This review has a clear aim – to make sure our intervention area fully takes into account what the private sector is planning when it comes to next generation broadband.
We want to make sure that the Welsh Government intervenes in a way that best maximises our investment. We have made a firm commitment in our Programme for Government to provide access to next-generation broadband by 2015, and this investment in a first class, globally competitive digital infrastructure will ensure that Wales is at the forefront of the digital economy.
The availability of robust high-speed broadband in the 21st century is essential for our businesses and residential properties in order for them to access services and the opportunities provided by digital technologies."
Apparently the maps will be available for a period of 4 weeks in order to allow the market to put forward any further proposals or comments, although these must be submitted by no later than 5.00pm on
23rd February 2012.