Pledge over 'raw deal' broadband

An estimated 27% of Welsh homes are still struggling to get fast broadband

Wales is still getting a "raw deal" when it comes to accessing broadband internet services, a UK minister has admitted.

Sion Simon told BBC Wales that the UK government remains committed to universal broadband access by 2012.

The Creative Industries Minister said he also wanted to see all homes covered by DAB radio by 2015.

Poor DAB coverage was one of the main points raised by the Audience Council for Wales in a report on Tuesday.

Speaking to the AM-PM programme on BBC Wales, Mr Simon said he accepted that broadband access remained a particular problem for parts of rural Wales.

"You are right that Wales currently gets a raw deal from commercially provided broadband," he said.

"The commitment is for universal broadband at a minimum of two megabits per second across the UK by 2012".

Mr Simon also pledged to see work started earlier in Wales to extend broadband networks to more rural areas.

He also backed the promise of universal DAB radio coverage by 2015.

"One of the things that was really important in this was to bring to the industry and to the consumers some certainty and some clarity.

"So, yes, we're very clear that 2015 is the date at which the national and current, big local broadcasters who are on FM will move over to DAB."

In its annual review for the BBC Trust published on Tuesday, the Audience Council for Wales again highlighted the fact that half the Welsh population was still unable to receive BBC Radio Wales or BBC Radio Cymru through a digital radio.