I've just been reading and commenting on this post on the Fibrevolution blog: http://spedr.com/5ube9 and it has prompted me to write a little more.
There are many challenges in trying to establish a community broadband project - not least of them convincing the community that such high speeds are something they will greatly benefit from. But let's assume I had got over that hurdle (I haven't BTW but let's assume nonetheless) what would my next steps be? Well I would need to start to consider the network topology, the services, the prices and I would need to source the funding. Simple really. Or at least it would be if everyone I had to engage with were committed to helping build a Digital Britain rather than cover their own asses and become the biggest roadblock they can be. But they are not and I have to keep asking myself why not? Are they ignorant and unwilling to learn or just arrogant and unwilling to help?
I have tried to educate, I have tried to inform, I have tried to understand what motivates these people (no names but Councils, Government departments and large industry can generally consider yourselves covered) but to no avail. It would seem that other than a very select few of us there is little desire to bring a pervasive broadband network to the UK.
This is Britain's Madness. There are so many benefits to the people, the communities, the businesses and the economy that not doing it is negligent.
Right now I am at a loss. We are governed by people who have little insight into what will allow this country to take its position at the forefront of the growing digital economy and I believe this must change. I have even got to the point where I am prepared to give BT credit for expanding and accelerating its FTTC rollout and to Virin Media for upgrading its cable networks as at least this means a significant number of people across the UK will have access to a high-speed network. However there is still a very large percentage (40% or so I believe) who will remain stuck with little hope of getting any improvement.
Which actually raises another question I am struggling with, based on my experience of dealing with my own community: of this 40% or so who will not have access to high speed broadband, how many would actually want it? I don't have the answer but suspect it is a lower number than you may think.
The Digital Britain Report established for us that Broadband is a right (why else would you implement a 2MBit/s USO?), in which case surely high-speed broadband must be a right? I don't get less electricity than the city dwellers just because I choose to live in the country and I don't want less from my broadband. In fact I could present a convincing argument that I (and many others in rural areas) would actually do more with my broadband as I work at home and therefore use it all day long.
I did have a point to this rant but it's got lost in there somewhere! Essentially I want us to tear down these artificial barriers that bureaucrats have errected. I want people to embrace the cause and create some genuine momentum because at the moment I feel like there are just too few of us to really make a difference.
Please spread the word... broadband is a very important issue, perhaps not for you but then you didn't grow up with the Internet, did you? The Internet is growing in its uses and applications every day and our children will find even more innovations to deliver digitally. If we give them the tools to do it with, that is.
Sunday 24 January 2010
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was wondering when you would realise the simple truth of it all... great rant. Very true, and spoken from the heart.
ReplyDeleteI can feel a rant coming on but I won't clutter your post, I will blog it too. Until someone can convince govt that they don't know what they don't know we are fighting a losing battle. They are working with misinformation and are silo thinkers. The next gov won't be any better. They all get their emails handed to them on dead trees. So many dinosaurs. We will win through eventually when one of them actually takes time to listen... keep ranting.
I feel your pain. Creating the cast iron business case that motivates the mass to demand the obvious is the holy grail. The inability of activists to achieve just that is what allows the incumbent suppliers to sweat the assets and juggle the pizza slices to keep the shareholders (pension funds and banks) happy.
ReplyDeleteI'm one of the lucky ones, rural village but only hlaf a mile from the exchange so a good ADSL connection, not the best, but okay. It's only now with both of us working from home, skype, streaming, document transfer and just day to day surfing that the connection is starting to show signs of the strain. Elsewhere in the village most people I know check e-mail once a week, usually on a Sunday.
People are just not there yet and until they are, unless you don't have a connection at all, it won't be at the top of their list of must do things.
You could argue that once 100Mb/s synchronous broadband has been experienced people will want it - probably true, but I suspect that while incumbant suppliers continue to make profits out of exising infrastructure their shareholders are not going to let them invest in anything that will risk the returns.
Unimaginative, yes, damaging to the economy, yes but it's all part of the makeup of not being a true digital Britain.
korean govt put 1000meg out for a tenner a month. they see the future. Our lot live in the past. build the houses and they will come. Don't build and the kids will go where the connections are and this will become a third world country. end of.
ReplyDeleteThe investment needs to come from government initially, because the returns are for it, and the people. Why should telcos invest when their old goose is still laying eggs? Some incentive is needed... or threats, or force. This apathy in gov is the main point we have to fight, they are too lazy to see the truth and believe the spin. They even spin themselves and con each other into believing that digitalbritain is delivering the goods and market forces will come to bear - but they won't.
The whole thing is a shambles. We have to JFDI ourselves. We are trying... but its slow.
You have grasped the essence of the problem without doubt.
ReplyDeleteI've worked in the alternative independent connectivity business for the best part of the last decade in the UK.
At the sharp end of service delivery, the benefits of people being connected are universal - there is no one who doesn't gain by at least having the choice of getting online.
The work being done here http://raceonline2012.org is interesting as it aims to focus people's attention on the cost consequences of not being connected, in cash terms and in terms of children's future prospects.
This is valuable mass information.
The real education process is in getting folks to realise that their best interests will only be served when this emerging 4th Utility is governed to put the community interest first.
This is what NextGenUs UK CIC is all about - and what incumbent telcos fear, although the more visionary industry players are coming around to where they can continue to exist in a changed world.
A pivotal year ahead is my take on 2010!
Hi Guy,
ReplyDeletewhich visionary industry players do you know? I haven't come across any yet. We need a blog from you as well!
chris