UK CLA Fears Growing Rural Broadband Speed Digital Divide
Posted: 22nd Apr, 2009 By: MarkJ
The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has leapt on recent remarks made by the governments Communications Minister, Lord Carter (author of the forthcoming Digital Britain report), for appearing to confirm its fears that, as others enjoy superfast broadband, much of the UK countryside will languish without any form of broadband at all.
What about fast, affordable and flexible broadband too? Why promise a minimum speed of 2Mbps for the whole country (USO) if some of the technology choices being proposed to fill the gaps (Satellite, Mobile Broadband) remain significantly inferior to their land-line based counter parts.
High latency, hefty data usage costs, service restrictions and connection stability problems can all dog and inhibit these platforms in one way or another. To make matters worse most of what we've heard from the Digital Britain report so far is sound-bites, which hardly makes up for a serious lack of actual substance and financial commitment.
Douglas Chalmers, Director CLA North, said: "This “have and have not” is now out of control and it is time for Government to stop and consider the damage it is doing to rural areas.
Lord Carter talks of a video-centric world but, we are heading for a two-tier North West where social and economic deprivation cast their shadow over rural communities, families and businesses. We are living in times when the country needs everyone working to their full potential, yet parts of the economy are being held back or disadvantaged, simply because there “is no economic case” to provide effective broadband.
It is not only businesses being affected, families are because their children cannot do set homework online or they cannot communicate effectively with organisations or even government itself, who all insist on using the Internet. Communities are being affected because broadband is now seen as being as basic a service as electricity, and its lack can drive people away. Those in rural areas can already be disadvantaged by physical communications, and broadband should be a great opportunity to help.
We have heard repeated promises by Government of universal broadband for all, and we have always said that it cannot happen without public investment. At last we have the support of Lord Carter who has strengthened our argument, and Lord Mandelson who stated at last week's Digital Britain Summit that public investment is now a possibility. A joined-up Government should concentrate on rural Britain’s genuine need for speed, rather than making the fast even faster.
Government, its agencies and many other organisations use the Internet to communicate because it saves them vast amounts of money, yet they will not invest to allow everyone to receive their messages. Until we have an acceptable solution, the CLA will continue to put pressure on Government and infrastructure providers to ensure that all rural communities have access to fast and affordable broadband.”
Lord Carter talks of a video-centric world but, we are heading for a two-tier North West where social and economic deprivation cast their shadow over rural communities, families and businesses. We are living in times when the country needs everyone working to their full potential, yet parts of the economy are being held back or disadvantaged, simply because there “is no economic case” to provide effective broadband.
It is not only businesses being affected, families are because their children cannot do set homework online or they cannot communicate effectively with organisations or even government itself, who all insist on using the Internet. Communities are being affected because broadband is now seen as being as basic a service as electricity, and its lack can drive people away. Those in rural areas can already be disadvantaged by physical communications, and broadband should be a great opportunity to help.
We have heard repeated promises by Government of universal broadband for all, and we have always said that it cannot happen without public investment. At last we have the support of Lord Carter who has strengthened our argument, and Lord Mandelson who stated at last week's Digital Britain Summit that public investment is now a possibility. A joined-up Government should concentrate on rural Britain’s genuine need for speed, rather than making the fast even faster.
Government, its agencies and many other organisations use the Internet to communicate because it saves them vast amounts of money, yet they will not invest to allow everyone to receive their messages. Until we have an acceptable solution, the CLA will continue to put pressure on Government and infrastructure providers to ensure that all rural communities have access to fast and affordable broadband.”
What about fast, affordable and flexible broadband too? Why promise a minimum speed of 2Mbps for the whole country (USO) if some of the technology choices being proposed to fill the gaps (Satellite, Mobile Broadband) remain significantly inferior to their land-line based counter parts.
High latency, hefty data usage costs, service restrictions and connection stability problems can all dog and inhibit these platforms in one way or another. To make matters worse most of what we've heard from the Digital Britain report so far is sound-bites, which hardly makes up for a serious lack of actual substance and financial commitment.
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