The rural community received a boost in their campaign for universal broadband.

A law enacting a legal obligation to deliver universal broadband of at least 10 megabits per second by the end of 2020 was agreed in Parliament at the end of March.

The decision will mean that rural homes and businesses are in line to receive better broadband.

CLA president, Tim Breitmeyer, said: "This commitment to universal broadband has been government policy for some time but it is still satisfying to see the enacting legislation laid.

"It means that the principle is now enshrined in law that no home or business should be left behind in the modern economy. Fixed broadband connections are only one part of the connectivity challenge.

"We have a long way to go to establish universal access to mobile data coverage that is equally important for people living and working in our countryside.

"There are still technical issues to be resolved between now and the end of 2020, but the fundamentals are clear."