Broadband News

The government needs to ensure the new universal service commitment of 2Mb is met throughout rural communities before funding next generation access to urban areas, according to Charles Trotman, Head of Rural Business Development at the Coutry Land and Business Association (CLA) and leading voice behind a newly-formed pressure group, Final Third First.

He, and fellow campaigners, believe the Government could well be trying to run before it can walk with broadband, giving faster access to city dwellers, who already have the fastest speeds, while those in the countryside, and some towns, languish at well below the 2Mb target. While next generation access is important, the group want to highlight the plight of those who first need to be given a decent broadband connection.

“At the moment BT will give you some figure about 99% of households being on broadband but we know the figure is nothing like that because this includes people who can’t even get a 512Kb connection,” he says.

“When you look at people who can’t get a decent broadband connection, we estimate you get a far bigger figure of around 20% to 25% of households. The problem is, nobody’s doing anything for these people to get them on to a decent broadband connection but there’s lots of focus on rolling out next generation services to people who already have a speed above the USO.

“So, what we’re saying is get the country up to 2Mb, give the country decent broadband first, before going off and putting in super fast connections in cities that already have better speed.”

Trotman claims that poor broadband availability, caused by rural homes being too far from a telephone exchange, is holding back countryside businesses. Companies, particularly farmers, are increasingly being expected to work with the Government online but are being thwarted by not being given “the tools” to do so.

Rural broadband campaigners joining together

So far the Final Third First campaign has met with strong support, Trotman reveals and the group hopes to secure a high level meeting with Broadband UK before the election and will then continue to lobby with whichever party or parties form the next government.

Ultimately Trotman, and fellow campaigners, fear that the issue of rural broadband is not taken seriously enough and that even if politicians agree, funding the USO will be difficult.

“The Government’s talking about using the digital switchover pot of money of £200m to help with rolling out the new USO but our fear is this won’t be enough,” he says.

“Politicians love to make announcements but they’re less good at understanding the technology and also providing the funds to make good their commitments. Let’s face it, whoever forms the next government is going to find money is tight and the real problem is, the new USO is just a target; nothing actually happens if it’s not met.”

The main message from the Final Third First campaign is that action needs to be taken now if there is going to be any chance of the country getting to December 31^st 2012 with the entire country enjoying a 2Mb broadband connection.