Estonia is to get a super-fast fibre optic broadband network, it has been announced. According to reports, Juhan Parts, Estonia's Minister of Economy and Communications, is planning to ensure every household and business has a 100Mb connection by 2015.

You’ve got to admire the nation’s ambition. And similarly, you’ve got to hand it to Mr Parts for coordinating the scheme which, by all accounts, will be the largest public-private partnership ever seen in Estonia.

But by the same token, don’t Estonia’s efforts to ensure the country does not get left behind in the race for next-gen broadband make our own government’s efforts look a bit threadbare? If a recession-hit former-Soviet republic can do it, why can’t we?