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<p>We do not hold specific statistics for Central London, but the thinkbroadband website
states that in London 97% of both residential and business premises have access to
a superfast service.</p><p> </p><p>DCMS has made superfast broadband available to
more than 95% of the country through its Superfast programme, and at least a further
2% is likely to be achieved. Of which, 340,000 premises (over 1% of premises) are
contracted to be delivered by March 2019.</p><p> </p><p>However where the government
can intervene in the marketplace is determined by State Aid rules which are designed
to avoid distortions in functioning markets. This means that in the majority of urban
areas – including Central London – where there is competition between suppliers, the
government is unable to invest in broadband. These commercial areas were identified
during the planning phases of superfast broadband projects. The reason for this approach
was to avoid investing scarce public funds in an area that were going to get superfast
connections through commercial arrangements and/or to avoid public investment distorting
the normal functioning of a competitive broadband market.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
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