Broadband rollout as important as rail network, claims fat pipe champion

NEWS Keith Todd, the newly appointed head of the Broadband Stakeholders Group (BSG), claims broadband rollout in the UK is as crucial as having a decent rail network. Todd, ex-ICL boss and now chair of the government advisory committee, is set to promote broadband in the UK as the infrastructure for a new way of working globally. Todd told silicon.com: "It's clear to me there's a new economy that exists that can change the way things happen socially and economically. The fundamental underpinning of that is broadband. "Broadband is the number one catalyst for this change and I see it as at least as important as the UK rail infrastructure," he added. Service bundling and promotion are two areas currently being discussed by the stakeholders. The public sector is a major part of Todd's plan which he said has massive buying power so can help drive the spread of broadband. Todd also said the price of broadband is being analysed.