North Norfolk is being “left behind” the rest of the UK for its access to full fibre broadband, with just 15pc of households being able to use the technology.
Full fibre is the fastest type of broadband available in the UK and more than half the nation now having access to it, according to Ofcom’s Connected Nations report.
However, north Norfolk placed 341st out of 374 local authority areas across the country for full fibre availability – a figure North Norfolk MP Duncan Baker says needs to be improved.
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“North Norfolk lagging so far behind in the national full-fibre rollout simply isn't good enough,” he said.
“I've spoken countless times about the importance of rural digital connectivity and tried to further this issue at every possible opportunity.
“I've held meetings with organisations such as County Broadband and more recently CityFibre.
"The only silver lining is that plans are firmly in place now for a significant rollout over the next few years by CityFibre, with large parts of north Norfolk set to be connected.
“The progress on this issue hasn’t been fast enough but is set to change. I'll continue campaigning hard for better connectivity for our north Norfolk towns and villages.”
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Councillor Tim Adams, leader of North Norfolk District Council (NNDC), said it is “not surprising” as “north Norfolk has generally been at the back of the queue for utility investment”.
“The economy has changed now, as have people's expectations, and we are behind that curve,” he said.
“More people are working from home, many micro and small businesses need good internet, and nearly every aspect of our lives is connected to the internet somewhere.
“It is very important that we are enabled to catch up. I appreciate there is ongoing investment in towns and villages in north Norfolk, and rurality is a factor, but we should not be being left behind.”
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