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<p><del class="ministerial">The Department is currently undertaking evaluation of
the Superfast Broadband Programme’s role in improving broadband connectivity and reaching
areas that would otherwise not have been reached through commercial plans. The evaluation
is focusing on the economic and social impacts of the programme, including the impact
of the superfast programme on business performance and growth, employment, on quality
of life and the reduction in benefits claimants in areas that would have lost out
to higher connectivity areas, if it were not for the programme.</del></p><p> </p><p><del
class="ministerial">The Department released The UK Broadband Impact Study in 2013
which made an assessment of the impacts of faster broadband including the economic
impacts. The study can be accessed on the Department's website (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-broadband-impact-study--2).
The Department will be producing results from the current evaluation in 2018.</del></p><p><ins
class="ministerial">There is a difference between what we define as the download speed,
or sync speed, and the actual speed end users experience. The sync speed is the maximum
speed that is achievable on the connection between the network and the premises. In
reality, the actual speed that is provided to an end user is typically lower than
the sync speed and this will vary depending on the number of other people using the
network at that point in time. The specification that we consulted on was for a sync
speed of at least 10Mbps. Ofcom says that a 10Mbps sync speed meets the needs of a
typical household.</ins></p><p> </p>
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