Broadband News
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Poor broadband access could "snuff out" life in rural Britain
20 Jul 2009 | 15.45 Europe/London
In what sounds like a plot for a Dr Who episode that never made it to the screen, it's being predicted that slow Internet speeds could one day "snuff out" life in Britain's countryside. The Countryside Land and Business Association (CLA) is worried about a growing "digital chasm" and says a lack of fibre optic infrastructure in rural areas could "strangle" economic development in the future. Throw a few Daleks into the mix and surely it could be on to a winner.
According to the CLA, not-spots are cutting off rural residents and undermining their efforts towards building an eco-friendly, high-tech economy. Not only are one in four of rural households below the current broadband poverty line (with speeds under the 2MBit/s UK-wide target set by Digital Britain for 2012) but things are destined to get worse when urban areas start to get 40MBit/s connections in coming years. It estimates a quarter of businesses will suffer because of this rural-urban broadband divide.
"It is not too dramatic to state that the life of rural Britain will be snuffed out if by 2020 fibre optic technology is only available to our cities and towns," said CLA president Henry Aubrey-Fletcher, before breaking into an evil laugh as part of his audition for the role of the villain in Dr Who and the Digital Chasm. "Nobody wants to spend the money to install fibre optic cables which would solve this problem unlike America and Australia which have unveiled plans to roll out fibre optic across countries much larger than ours."
The issue at the heart of the CLA's claims can't be taken lightly: "The bottom line is that rural businesses cannot compete with their urban rivals," says Aubrey-Fletcher. Dr Jo Ross-Gower, a freelance clinical psychologist from Kent, says she missed out on £800 a month because she lives in a broadband not-spot. "I take referrals from agencies and GPs via email and people want responses straight away. Because I can't get online I often miss out on jobs – it's frustrating," she said.
However, while the CLA's message on rural broadband may seem a powerful one in isolation, it seems somewhat weakened when put in the context of the association's report as a whole. According to its latest survey, thirty-eight per cent of the businesses it asked are confident in the rural economy right now, whereas only seventeen per cent are confident in the general economy. “Even with ... discouragements, rural enterprise is outperforming other sectors," says Douglas Chalmers, Director CLA North.
Lord Carter has estimated that up to thirty per cent of the UK may not see fibre optic broadband any time soon, with neither the Government nor the market willing to pay for it. Yet it can be assumed that the likes of our clinical psychologist would need no more than 2MBit/s broadband in order to avoid missing out on earnings in any case (dealing with email referrals would not require a 40MBit/s line). That means the future may mean a sort of "B-Road broadband" for the countryside instead of complete isolation. At least there's no tractors.
Further details at [The Telegraph] and [Yorkshire Dales News]
According to the CLA, not-spots are cutting off rural residents and undermining their efforts towards building an eco-friendly, high-tech economy. Not only are one in four of rural households below the current broadband poverty line (with speeds under the 2MBit/s UK-wide target set by Digital Britain for 2012) but things are destined to get worse when urban areas start to get 40MBit/s connections in coming years. It estimates a quarter of businesses will suffer because of this rural-urban broadband divide.
"It is not too dramatic to state that the life of rural Britain will be snuffed out if by 2020 fibre optic technology is only available to our cities and towns," said CLA president Henry Aubrey-Fletcher, before breaking into an evil laugh as part of his audition for the role of the villain in Dr Who and the Digital Chasm. "Nobody wants to spend the money to install fibre optic cables which would solve this problem unlike America and Australia which have unveiled plans to roll out fibre optic across countries much larger than ours."
The issue at the heart of the CLA's claims can't be taken lightly: "The bottom line is that rural businesses cannot compete with their urban rivals," says Aubrey-Fletcher. Dr Jo Ross-Gower, a freelance clinical psychologist from Kent, says she missed out on £800 a month because she lives in a broadband not-spot. "I take referrals from agencies and GPs via email and people want responses straight away. Because I can't get online I often miss out on jobs – it's frustrating," she said.
However, while the CLA's message on rural broadband may seem a powerful one in isolation, it seems somewhat weakened when put in the context of the association's report as a whole. According to its latest survey, thirty-eight per cent of the businesses it asked are confident in the rural economy right now, whereas only seventeen per cent are confident in the general economy. “Even with ... discouragements, rural enterprise is outperforming other sectors," says Douglas Chalmers, Director CLA North.
Lord Carter has estimated that up to thirty per cent of the UK may not see fibre optic broadband any time soon, with neither the Government nor the market willing to pay for it. Yet it can be assumed that the likes of our clinical psychologist would need no more than 2MBit/s broadband in order to avoid missing out on earnings in any case (dealing with email referrals would not require a 40MBit/s line). That means the future may mean a sort of "B-Road broadband" for the countryside instead of complete isolation. At least there's no tractors.
Further details at [The Telegraph] and [Yorkshire Dales News]
I can testify to the problems in a rural area with lack of broadband access. In 2003 I worked for a graphic designer. I converted his work into digital using photoshop and quark. We then used snail mail to send the work to the publishing house on disks. Mainly for magazines and brochures, and some newspapers. When other companies started getting broadband we had to use couriers all the time, as this form of media is always last minute stuff and designers work to the final deadline for print. We found we just couldn't compete, and in 2005 his business went bust. That is why I have become a broadband advocate and fight for the acknowledgment of rural areas getting the same chance as urban ones. What really bugs me is the government listening to the eejits at OFCOM and thinking that 2meg is sufficient for the needs of this country in 2012. We are being cut off from the rest of the world.
In the same way that this rural business folded, so will the UK, as other countries will take over the jobs that could be created here. It is essential somebody gets through to government and that they realise the wonderful victorian phone network that has served us so well for so long can no longer cope with the digital world out there... I am glad CLA and CRC are speaking out, we need even more volume though...
20 Jul 2009 | 16.39 Europe/London
2mbps minimum for the country is a fine base point to set for the UK. Thats more then enough for business requirements to work in "digital business".
Of course ideally it would be perfect if all areas in the UK shared the same speeds going from 50 to 200 mbps but thats never going to happen.
The 50p tax will help give some incentive to ISPs to go further into some rural areas but who should foot a massive bill with no chance of making profit for the minority?
It might be brutual but if you are internet dependent for higher speeds then 2mbps then move! The same as any business recognises a risk or a chance of competitive advantage - they do what it takes.
21 Jul 2009 | 12.25 Europe/London
dear burgek1
2Mbps is enough for basic business req. or Egov. Unless that is a few people on your line decide to watch Iplayer, in which cast the whole shebang grinds to a halt.
The perfick solution is FTTH for everyone, but if you are happy with your 50 meg then fine. We will just do our best to get it to the rural areas then. And when you get hungry do feel free to go and hunt the odd wild bison or boar to feed your family.
Maybe the rural people should all upsticks and move into the cities so they can access Egov and run their businesses. Hmm. wonder where we will put all the cows, chickens, sheep and stuff. hmm. perhaps we should just all do white collar work and import all our food. Wonder who would keep the countryside looking good? fancy a job? 365 days a year and no broadband...
21 Jul 2009 | 19.33 Europe/London
Chris I like debate so I appreciate your opinion.
What do you want 50 meg for? What is out there that uses such bandwidth?? iPlayer streams at 800 kbps and even in HD still under 2 while ISP traffic management will manage bandwidth anyway. I have a 2 meg connection and dont see any need to increase. Perhaps if there were multiple users in the house I could find a use maybe.
Speed isn't the answer for masses of people streaming. Content distribution networks are and with project canvas coming; you can be sure all ISPs will be using CDNs.
So again; I say once the infrastructure is in place and the minimum 2mbps is achieved alongside traffic management and CDNs - I can't see a problem. Sure maybe towns/cities will have 40+ but so what - there are bonuses to living urban just as there as bonuses to living in the countryside.
22 Jul 2009 | 10.41 Europe/London
burgek1 I like debate too.
Today I called at a friends house in the village. I didn't get to talk to her cos her teenage daughter and friend nabbed me to show me the video they had just made. It was an animated story done with media player and audacity. the had changed their voices into helium effect, and it put music on and everything. It was mega. I told them to put it on youtube because I knew my grandchildren would love it. They started to upload it as I left. They were doing it right. It was only a tiny film. Well under the limit. I just chatted to them on googletalk just now and asked them for the link to send on. Mary said they couldn't upload it. so they gave up.
That is why we want bandwidth. so the kids can do what they want, get a buzz, get criticised, get advice, learn more, do better, get acclaim. Broadband isn't there just to access Egov. Just because only you uses the connection in your house don't forget the families with multiple pcs, laptops and phones. In Mary's house there are 4 pcs, 1xbox and a blackberry. Many more in the village are the same. Also I would like you to read a post (not by me) on this blog and put a comment on there if you disagree... cheers (mary's laptop was the only one using the connection when she tried to upload the animation)
(and I don't want 50 meg, I would rather set my sights on a gig actually...)
...I just want something that works, and is there when needed)
chris
http://5tth.blogspot.com/2009/07/that-bloody-2meg-argument-again.html
23 Jul 2009 | 18.54 Europe/London
I have seen businesses fail or having to move from the countryside due to the lack of a good broadband connection. 2M satellite is great for those stuck on dialup. We work with security companies and install satellite broadband on to remote farm buildings so they can put monitored cctv on the building. BT wanted £6000 for one particular job to put a cable in . We did it for £520 and £35 per month.
26 Jul 2009 | 14.11 Europe/London
I agree, I have also seen businesses fail in rural areas simply because internet access wasn't availabe. We had 2 meg satellite for 3 years, was ideal for stopgap solution but only as temporary measure. We then moved on to wireless access for 23 notspots via arqiva mast. But the eNGAme has to be fibre. Only fibre can deliver the capacity as and when it is needed. BT want £76k to deliver fibre here...
17 Aug 2009 | 11.12 Europe/London