The Broadband Background:
Access to quality, fast broadband has become an essential part of economic and social life. Digital inclusion can assist economic growth, increase access to services and help to reduce under achievement in education. Rural areas suffer from poorer access to broadband than urban areas and this is restricting economic and social progress whilst increasing environmental costs through increased transport.
Many rural communities remain on the wrong side of the digital divide, 4,000 households are in “notspots”, with no broadband access at all, whilst a further 2.5 million can get only 2.5 megabits per second (Mbps), or less, when 8 Mbps to 10 Mbps is now considered standard for everyday use.
EMRAF has developed this section of this website to bring together information that will support those with an interest in rural broadband. A working group is also planning to establish a digital forum which will support local broadband initiatives.
Broadband Issues for Rural Areas:
- Lack of a good broadband service deters new businesses and restricts the opportunity for home working which can have an environmental impact on village life if people travel for work and access services elsewhere.
- Digital technology has an increasingly important role in learning and skills, providing opportunities for distance e learning, homework and qualifications at all levels.
- An estimated 90% of public services are now available online, and with the potential environmental and economic benefits there is a drive to increase this with some services becoming exclusively online.
- Social isolation can be a problem for many vulnerable people living in rural areas. Access to social networks, services such as shopping and information such as for benefits can impact on health.
- Each community has different circumstances and therefore requires different solutions. It is often difficult for people locally to know what solutions would work for them.
- There is a need to have access to and gather technical information from commercial competitors. Providers are unbundling, but only where there is a big enough market to make it profitable.
- Rural areas are by their nature more sparsely populated and success depends on there being the opportunity to aggregate demand.
To find out more about EMRAFs role please contact us here.
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