Millions of families in the UK are familiar with Working Family Tax Credits, WFTC, (now called WTC) one of Gordon Brown’s best initiatives.

Rather than maintain families on benefits at the Taxpayer’s expense, instead provide assistance and reward in return for people taking up employment instead.

What has this to do with broadband, the 4th Utility, you might ask?

Well there is a great lesson in WFTC, let’s change the F Word from Families to Fibre.

Reward companies that take the risk and make the investment in FUTURE PROOF 4th Utility, on the basis of service delivery.

This means homes actually connected too, just passed by will not unlock the greatest rewards which go pro-rata to ubiquity, for providing everyone with service.

Where does this leave alternative technologies like wireless? Shouldn’t we be all “technology neutral”?

Technology Neutrality is all very well on paper – in practice five extra qualifying words are needed, if best value for Taxpayers Money is to be achieved.

FIT FOR PURPOSE and FUTURE-PROOF

NextGenUs uses the FiWi approach with wireless as a valid stepping stone towards the eNdGAme of FttH and recognises that wireless isn’t the eNdGAme either.

If the UK is serious about having a globally-competitive 4th Utility then FttH must be our immediate task.

Not the kind of wasteful, dead-end nonsense recently reported regarding Iwade – Expertly demolished at 5ttH