IJDGI – I just don’t get it – Digital Inclusion Task Force Quango ignores Final Third
It’s been almost 12 months now since the Digital Champion’s team gushingly briefed me on Martha’s role: to motivate people to race on line yet ignoring broadband infrastructure as not her problem. The team said it would represent rural exclusion, but I’ve seen no evidence. Last week’s MLF press coverage adds further insult to injury for those who have only DIAL UP broadband, and no hope of anything better.
Has MLF tried to excite anyone to race on-line at dial-up speed? Has she or her team tried living with dial-up to get things done?
How on earth do they rationalise ignoring the interests of 1/3rd of the population which is currently doomed to unacceptable broadband speeds, and the 1/10th which will not get any, ever?
It’s analogous to DITF (them) obtaining (our) funding to teach everyone to drive, but with only bridleways serving 1/3rd of the people out there!
Come on, please, get some heads out of the sand and put some weight behind the disenfranchised 1/3rd too.
Or is the DITF team desperately spending its last funding any way it can before the quango cull?
Quote DITF “Race Online 2012 will continue to support and challenge government to get more people online and we will highlight the importance of rural broadband issues through our campaign wherever possible by linking it to our cause.”
I just don’t get it!
And nor do they!
Think you are right gentlemen. None of the people who are leading the race to get ubiquitous connectivity for everyone seem to understand the rural issues. There are millions out here who would love to get online but they can’t. I really do think the Race Online people could chuck a few press statements our way if nothing else.
Our illustrious leaders don’t have a very good grasp of physics either if they think Next Generation Access can be delivered through copper.
My biggest worry is that the funding via public money for delivering NGA in rural areas will get diverted to BT and stop innovation in its tracks in the way it has happened in Cornwall. We must not settle for copper infinity, as @fit_to_print says, ‘We’ll take Beyond’, and given chance we could. I think BT want the funding not to deliver anything other than FTTC, they want it to stop us doing it right.
Backing you all the way on this one! Keep shouting
BT is rolling out FTTP so ignore comment above. It’s expensive and there is no identified requirement. Great to FTTP isolated areas with cables through fields but what about towns and villages with roads and pavements?
villages with roads and pavements are no problem. where there is a will there is a way. usually round the back up the garden.
It will be interesting to see the detail of this announcement, if there is any.
OMG Virgin Ad for Broadband just spotted in your Google Ads
A service like broadband can’t be strung along garden fences. Too important to not be reliabily installed, particularly if used for business.