Plaid Cymru: 'Superfast broadband available to all by 2017'

All homes and businesses would get access to superfast broadband by 2017 if Plaid Cymru won power at the assembly election, the party has said.

The policy would build on the Superfast Cymru scheme, which aims to deliver faster internet to 96% of Welsh homes and firms by 2016.

Councils would be given cash to support schemes to help premises that miss out under Superfast Cymru.

Plaid also plans to set a target for the roll-out of ultrafast broadband.

The party said it wanted to make ultrafast available across the "length and breadth" of Wales by 2025.

The term superfast broadband refers to services that provide connection speeds of between 50Mb and 80Mb, while ultrafast covers speeds of 80Mb to more than 100Mb.

Plaid Cymru's Llyr Gruffydd said: "Superfast Cymru has made an incredible difference to enhance superfast coverage in Wales, but we cannot rest on our laurels - we must act to make sure that not a single home, business or community in Wales is left behind."

A spokesman for the Welsh Conservatives, which has pledged universal roll out of superfast broadband and mobile coverage, said: "Along comes an election and up pop Plaid Cymru with a thousand new un-costed pledges.

"What they don't say is how they plan to achieve this or how they'll pay for it."

A Welsh Labour spokesman said: "Our next generation broadband programme is delivering the digital infrastructure Wales needs to grow.

"The Superfast Cymru scheme means fibre optic connections are now available in all local authority areas and we are working to get the maximum coverage possible of this vital technology."

The Lib Dems said the party would hold "crisis negotiations with BT Openreach" - the firm that helps provide broadband services over the telephone network - and demand a delivery timetable that ensures "every Welsh business hub and park, hospital and school has superfast broadband delivered by 2017".

A UKIP spokeswoman said: "It's all very well making these pledges at election time but toothless Plaid have had seats in the assembly since devolution and have even governed in coalition with Labour, seemingly to very little effect."