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The end of the regional digital divide?
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Rural broadband overtakes cities for the first time
Garnet Roach garnet@consumerchoices.co.uk
For the first time broadband uptake in rural areas has overtaken urban areas according to new statistics released by Ofcom yesterday (23-05-08).
The regulator revealed that across the UK as a whole, 59 per cent of households in rural areas now have a broadband connection compared to 57 per cent of those in urban areas.
“When broadband was first introduced in the UK in 2000, households in urban areas were the first to take the service, leading to concerns that a digital divide was emerging between country and built-up areas,” said Ofcom.
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"Most rural households are far further from their local exchange than those in big cities and have to struggle with slower broadband as the connection degrades over distance"
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But it added that the rapid rollout of broadband across the country and yesterday’s report “marks the end of the so-called divide”.
Ed Richards , Ofcom chief executive said: “Our report highlights a closing of the geographic digital divide in the UK. Rural households are today as well connected to broadband, as their urban neighbours.
However, Michael Phillips, BroadbandChoices.co.uk product director argued that a divide still exists in terms of connection speed and quality, and with some providers, price.
“Most rural households are far further from their local exchange than those in big cities. Because of this many have to struggle with slower broadband as the connection degrades over distance. Also, local loop unbundling - which has drastically changed the broadband market in recent years - isn’t available to many rural customers who subsequently can’t enjoy the benefits of TalkTalk's (www.TalkTalk.co.uk) ‘free broadband’ or Tiscali's (www.Tiscali.co.uk) ‘free line rental’, or in the case of AOL (www.AOL.co.uk) customers will have to pay an additional £5 a month,” he explained.
Related article - LLU broadband.
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