Infrastructure Provision on the Margins: An Assessment of Broadband Delivery UK

Many governments have recognised the socio-economic importance of broadband. The market often provides a broadband connection but when this does not occur governments have stepped in. Through focusing on one government intervention, Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) in the UK, this paper highlights the cost of providing broadband connections to areas unserved by the market. The difficulty of assessing demand in such areas is illustrated, as is how the lack of transparency complicates any assessment of the value for money.