Earlier this month the coalition government announced that delivering high speed broadband to rural areas will be a priority. Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt pledged that up to £300million would be spent by the end of this parliament to ensure that Britain would have “the best superfast broadband network in Europe”.
With so many vital services now being available or hosted online only, the topic of Britain’s digital deserts is a hot topic. Even the Prince of Wales (writing in the Telegraph) stated that: “isolated communities, which already struggle to make a living, face an “immense handicap” without the ability to promote their goods or download information through websites and email. Schools, doctors’ surgeries and other essential services are also suffering after being left in the internet slow lane”.
He also added that, “Access to the Internet is increasingly being considered a necessity. There is not a business in the country, with ambition to succeed, that does not have an email address or a website.”
However, with a promise of only 2 mega bits per second by 2012, not all rural folk will be surfing at lighting speed – but at least it’s a step in the right direction.
