Why is there no Universal Broadband in Wales?
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The question is simple: why is that we can deliver (almost) free TV pictures to every house in Wales, yet we are unable to deliver paid for Broadband even though nearly every house has a phone line?
To my mind the answer is simple: BT is excessively domineering in this market. They drive the broadband agenda in Wales and spin their story so well to make some people think that they are doing the world a favour by making broadband available at all.
Sadly, this seems to be “bought” by the Welsh Assembly Government. Money is ploughed into schemes to provide faster access in some parts of Wales whilst others go without completely.
OFCOM appear to be as effective as a chocolate fireguard in forcing progress. Their recent report can only be described as a statement of the bleeding obvious.
What we need to do is realise that broadband internet access can be delivered over a variety of media, not just BT phone lines. Outlying villages can be served by the same technology as TV, to a base station and then through local distribution wirelessly or via physical connection. Mobile networks can also deliver effective solutions.
The WAG needs to challenge the providers to do more, and cut funding if they don’t. If that happens we will see the true expansion of broadband to be a truly universal service to the betterment of Wales.
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By OneGear1972, August 4, 2009 @ 9:39 pm
Are people in remote locations worth less?
Do people in more remote locations pay less tax on their income?
No, their money is as good as that of the people of less remote areas.
By Greg Cannon, August 4, 2009 @ 11:59 pm
Alan, do you like stirring up trouble?
The question you raise is genuine and is on the agenda. UK Govt, in the Digital Britain report, has promised 2 Mbs access for every home in the UK by 2012. The only issues therefore are:
1. Do you want it sooner
2. Do you want everyone to have faster than 2 Mbps connections
It’s widely accepted it costs the same to run a cable past a house in Builth and Brecon as it does in Cardiff. The problems are:
1. In laying the fiber speed cables to this centres (here WAG can help by funding ‘infrastrcture connections’ as they are one of the biggest users)
2. In connecting the houses and villages in between these ‘population centres’. Here ‘alternative’ solutions are required, based on e.g. MicroWave, Satellite (for download), WiMax, 3G, or similar technologies. Air based solutions are likely to be the most cost effective as current ‘copper wire’ based services degrade after about 5 miles. Air based services have their problems (e.g. they’re effected by the weather), and may mean we also loose all the Welsh bees!
So, what do you suggest, as laying cable down every B road and to very farmhouse in Wales is simply not going to happen.