Internet for all ‘more important’ than broadband speed
The government is urged to end the “broadband arms race” after a new report and poll says that wider access across the UK, rather than faster speed, is more important to Britons.
Policy Exchange said that government subsidies for broadband infrastructure should end once current commitments are reached in 2015, arguing that there is little public appetite for faster internet speed.
Instead, public funding should be spent on ensuring that internet access is available across the UK to help the 10.8 million people not online – half of whom are over 65 – according to a new report.
The government has pledged money to extend superfast fixed broadband to 90 per cent of the country, to accelerate the roll out of 4G wireless networks and to ensure a universal broadband speed of two mega bits per second (mbps) by 2015.
In its report, The Superfast and the Furious, the think tank said that after these targets are met, the government’s spending priority should be wider access and empowering consumers and businesses to make best use of the internet.
Internet for all
Two thirds (64 per cent) of respondents to an Ipsos MORI poll carried out for Policy Exchange thought that good basic broadband coverage for the whole country was more important than chasing very fast speeds in some areas at the expense of others.
Four out of five people who took part thought that every household should be able to have access to the internet, but only one in four though it was fair for people in remote areas to pay more
It’s far from clear that your taxes should help to pay for me to have an even faster connection. Chris Yiu, Policy Exchange report author
Chris Yiu, author of the report said: “It’s far from clear that your taxes should help to pay for me to have an even faster connection.
“There is no doubt that broadband, both fixed and wireless, makes a major contribution to the economy. But the right person to decide how much speed your family or business needs is you – not the government.”
A third of respondents (31 per cent) were confident they could choose the best broadband deal for their household. And overall, price and reliability matter to the 2,000 people and 500 businesses polled, as much as speed.
Graham Walker, CEO of Go ON UK, the UK’s digital skills alliance, said the UK was not maximising the full economic and social benefits offered by going digital.
“To reap benefits for all in the UK, we need universal broadband access and greater investment in the digital skills and capabilities of individuals and businesses,” he added.