The Rural Fund
The government's priority in rural areas is to extend the reach of broadband into underserved regions. The focus of the Rural Fund will be the deployment of new and improved broadband connections to communities, businesses and users in the health, education and wider government sectors in rural areas. The government has concluded that the most appropriate mechanism is a contestable and technology neutral process that has sufficient flexibility to support the deployment of backhaul links, "last mile" broadband solutions and demand-pull initiatives.2
The government is also currently undertaking a review of the Local Service Telecommunications Service Obligations (TSO). A key component of the Local Service TSO is the provision of telephone services to those users who otherwise would not be offered a service at an affordable price. More detail on the relationship between the TSO and the Rural Fund is set out Annex Three.
Draft criteria for the Rural Fund are included as Annex Three: Broadband Investment Fund - Draft Rural Criteria.
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