The BBC is backing calls for a high-speed broadband network for the UK, it has been reported.

Ashley Highfield, the broadcaster's director for future media and technology, expressed support for Ofcom's proposals for a next-generation network to avoid Britain becoming a country of have and have-nots when it comes to high speed broadband.

He told the Financial Times: "I don’t want a two-tier Britain where urban wealthy people can access high-quality internet content at 50mbps and there is a rural, disenfranchised poor.

"Anything that can be done to advance the next-generation broadband build-out will be good for Britain."

Ofcom called for ISPs to commit funding to a fibre-optic network in a report issued earlier this year.

However, the viability of such a move has been questioned by BT as well as the Broadband Users Group, who have raised concerns over the prohibitive expense of installing such a network.

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