Virgin Media voices concerns about new Government broadband fund

Virgin Media has expressed concerns about the Government’s plans for a new £400m Digital Infrastructure Investment Fund, announced in today’s Autumn Statement.

New research by Survation for Virgin Media found that just 4% of Britons believe that major public investment is the best way to stimulate investment in broadband. Three-quarters (75%) believe that there are better ways to stimulate investment than using taxpayers’ money.

Tom Mockridge, CEO of Virgin Media, said:

“This is just a drop in the bucket and only adds to Britain’s £1.6 trillion debt burden.   The truth is private companies are already investing billions of pounds in full fibre broadband.  If Government wants this to happen more quickly, it should be spending its efforts, rather than taxpayers’ money, helping tackle outdated planning rules.”


Notes

The broadband poll was prepared by Survation on behalf of Virgin Media. A representative sample of 1,021 UK adults were surveyed between 5-6 November 2016. Full data available on request.