Research Shows Digital Divide Is Worsening
The lack of high-speed internet access in rural areas is causing the UK’s digital divide to worsen, according to new research released this week.
The latest annual State Of The Countryside report shows that just 26% of people in market towns have affordable broadband internet access, compared with two-thirds of the UK’s urban population.
This figure falls to 7% in small villages and an alarming 1% in remote rural areas. According to The Countryside Agency, this lack of broadband access is presenting an expensive obstacle to new rural businesses, by denying them markets for their products and services.
Sir Ewan Cameron, chairman of The Countryside Agency, said: “I know the Government is working with others to address this issue and I urge them to set a realistic target for reaching the whole rural population with broadband, making it easier to monitor and identify where further action is needed.”
Earlier this week the Government unveiled its ‘Get Started’ campaign in an attempt to encourage non-internet users to visit the web.
A recent survey from the Office of National Statistics shows that some 38% of the UK’s population have never accessed the internet, raising fears that the so-called digital divide is widening to the detriment of low income families and those in rural areas (see Newsline Feature: Internet Usage On The Up In 2002).
The latest campaign, led by the Government-backed service, UK online, seeks to make the internet more accessible by targeting previously excluded groups with free internet starter sessions at more than 8,000 online centres across the UK.
Last summer BT unveiled a scheme to allow consumers to influence where its ADSL service will be introduced next. The telecoms giant is hoping the initiative will drive broadband uptake in areas where the demand is highest, whilst creating a database that can be used to target marketing drives (see BT Brings Consumers Into The Broadband Equation).
The Countryside Agency: 020 7340 2900 www.countryside.gov.uk
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