Who decides on Broadband investment in Wales?

We all need broadband, it’s probably more important now to businesses than even a telephone system. So any improvements to services in Wales are to be welcomed. But I really would like to understand who determined that Newport should receive a slice of cash for the development of “ultra-fast fixed broadband access and large areas of public wireless connectivity” as announced in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement.Newport already benefits from both fixed line services and the far superior cable network services delivered by Virgin Media. So what on earth are the criteria that determined that there was a greater need in Newport, than there is in more rural areas of Wales.

I cannot help but feel that the decision was driven not by need but by what was desired by at least one of the companies struggling to keep up with advancements in technology and to make up for their own shortfall in service delivery.

Lobbying, not the needs of the people, won the day.