Superfast broadband in UK may become dearer, with the government reportedly working on plans to levy 50p monthly broadband tax on copper telephone landlines. Stephen Timms, the treasury minister pointed out that the new tax, as recommended by Lord Carter's Digital Britain report, may come into force before the next election.

Timms, while addressing IT professionals in an event organized by IT chartered institute BCS, said: 'We want to make high speed networks nationally available. The next
-generation fund will help that and we will legislate for it this side of a general election.'

Every household using copper telephone line would be charged £6 a year and the amount thus collected will go towards funding next generation broadband services in UK.

Timms added: "We want to make high speed networks nationally available. The next-generation fund will help that." He said that more details would be made available in the Finance Bill including major recommendations of the Digital Britain report.