Fibre broadband provider NextGenUs knocks council funding plans

Fibre optic broadband specialist NextGenUs has claimed local authorities are using state money to improve their own networks, rather than to boost public broadband.

Speaking to PC Pro, founder of NextGenUs Guy Jarvis accused councils of spending their share of the £530 million government broadband funding pot on enhancing their own infrastructure.

As a result, the prime purpose of the grants - to improve home and business broadband services - is being overlooked or treated as an afterthought, he stated.

Mr Jarvis said: "The funding is getting diverted off into something where its primary purpose becomes an inconvenient truth and a bit of an add-on."

He added consumer broadband services will be given "crumbs off the table" that will help to justify the spending on public sector networks.

Mr Jarvis is an outspoken critic of government body Broadband Delivery UK, having previously launched a freedom of information request to discover exactly what has been spent and achieved by the organisation since it was established.