€150 direct aid to get better internet

Households without high-speed internet could receive a cheque from the government for up to €150 to help set it up under a plan to give good internet speed bon haut débit to all in France by 2020 and very high speed très haut débit by 2022.

About 1.5million households are said to benefit as the government unlocked an extra €100million for the plan under an election promise by President Macron.

Prime Minister Edouard Phil­ippe unveiled a plan to open up technologies like radio, satellite, 4G or better landlines to give all homes speeds of 8Mbps (download a film in one hour, surf easily, use video messaging) by 2020 and 30Mbps by 2022.

Today 15% of households do not have good speeds and he said work already planned would reduce this to 6% by 2020 and a new €100million ‘envelope’ would fund aid for the most isolated properties.

A website will be set up mid-2018 for households without good speeds to register and claim aid of up to €150 to fit the equipment needed.

Mr Philippe said they would also “take 4G to the 10,000 communes that do not have it, which makes one million people and 10% of the country”.

Ten million homes can access 100Mbps fibre optic and he said 33m would have it by 2022, with the 19m in urban zones having it by 2020.

Of the 13m in rural areas, 3-4m would be supplied by private operators under new obligations and 9m by local initiatives part-funded with €3.3billion from the state.