Extract from committee stage (Lords) (day 1) of the Digital Economy Bill - Jan 31

Lord Mendelsohn (Lab):...In 2010, Chattanooga—yes, Chattanooga— modernised the power grid and laid a fibre network. From 2011 it had a one gigabit economy. Last year it rolled out 10 gigabits, and users could get this at home. In my private business I have been to Chattanooga and it is absolutely extraordinary. It has attracted a whole host of companies, including a lot of tech companies, start-ups, 3D-printing companies and some of the most innovative companies and entrepreneurs. It is the number-one-ranked service provider for customer satisfaction, eclipsing Google Fiber. That was fought quite heavily by the existing providers but it has been able to transform an area’s economic prospects and the life and livelihood of the populations there. There are areas in our country that are not being served well and an authority could start to deliver a better outcome to the population by creating a better infrastructure, and we should certainly give it the means to do so. This amendment fulfils that. I beg to move...

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