A high-speed broadband network is essential for the stimulation of economic growth and providing jobs, such as those for IT contractors, it is claimed.

Search engine optimisation experts Queryclick.com have welcomed the government's commitment to rolling out superfast broadband across the UK, describing the country's current capacity as a "scandal" and "pitifully unambitious".

The government's broadband plans include the creation of at least 60,000 new jobs and an additional £18 billion generated by the economy, which is welcome news in the current climate, said Queryclick.com.

"Once this network is in place, Britain can continue to assert itself as a leader in everything from education to medicine, music to journalism with a more accessible platform from which to share ideas, sell goods and promote work," said a spokes person for the firm.

This government support for high-speed broadband is essential, as private companies would not extend the service to rural areas on their own, Rowland O'Connor, editor of Broadband-Help.com, claimed recently.