The government is investing up to £600 million to deliver better mobile networks, and has declared a "new ambition" to get ultrafast broadband to nearly every property in the land.

There is also to be more help with broadband for small and medium sized businesses in certain UK cities, Mr Osborne announced along with other telecoms support for communities.

The Chancellor said "We will improve mobile phone network, we will test the latest satellite technologies so we reach the remotest communities. We will provide funding for Wi-fi in our public libraries and extend broadband vouchers to many more cities so no one is excluded. And we are committing today to a new national ambition to bring ultrafast broadband of at least 100 megabits per second to nearly all the homes in the country so that Britain is out in front. "

The details have still to be announced but there was interested in some of the more remote communities such as the Orkney island of Papa Westay.

When Jim Hewitson and his wife Morag decided to move from central Scotland to build a new life there almost 30 years ago, there was no internet. More recently it has been "so slow it often appeared to be going backwards."

Despite that has become a prolific writer publishing a dozen books, while Morag ran a successful guesthouse business .

A new roll out of superfast broadband is scheduled for Orkney but it is unlikely to make it the remoter islands so they have invested in a satellite system. Consequently they were pleased to hear the Chancellor's commitment on broadband, if slightly sceptical.

Jim, 66, said "I welcome the Chancellor's intentions but wonder if I'll live to see it in action. The cynic in me whispers: 'We've heard it all before'. "

He continued "There is an argument that rural areas should get some sort of priority because going by our experience here on Papa Westray, a disproportionate number of people in rural and island areas rely on their day-to-day computer links more than their city-dwelling counterparts.

"For example, here internet banking is not just an option; it is a necessity. The alternative is a journey by air to Kirkwall or a six-hour return trip by boat in order to have a face to face with a financial adviser."