Viper Marketing & Communications Group

A Digital Rural Future?

Author: Jim Hardcastle

Jim has helped organisations and groups communicate more effectively for nearly 20 years. His background in the countryside and rural sectors provide him with a wealth of experience. Fueled by coffee with Post-Its at the ready, he’s here to help .

Ensuring that rural areas have access to a fast and reliable (Fibre Optic) broadband connection will be absolutely vital to the countryside’s long-term economic future. This is an extract from the Rural Services Network's Rural Manifesto (RSN, 2009).

There remains a digital divide between rural and urban areas, and there is a case for allocating the resources unspent by BT in facilitating the digital switchover towards the enabling of broadband services in rural areas. The Government has, for the most part, left the proliferation of digital infrastructure to the private service provider. As such, there is a real danger that broadband infrastructure will be laid where it is profitable first, and then where it is most needed second (if at all).

The Rural Services Network calls on the Government to ENSURE THE ROLL-OUT OF A FUTURE-PROOFED DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE DOES NOT BYPASS RURAL AREAS in terms of implementation timetabling, speed, (throughout the whole day), bandwidth or reliability. The importance of internet access to the rural communities should not be underestimated and we will be looking to engage with Internet Service Providers (ISP) on this issue.

Until rural broadband access is greatly improved, we also see the provision of community internet hubs as a useful way of partially bridging the digital divide. For most people in Britain, the internet is the natural place to go for job applications, extra-curricular or adult learning, education and social networking. By providing internet hubs in existing communal buildings such as schools and post offices, people in rural areas can get access to the internet while strengthening their own communities and safeguarding communal spaces. This is another issue where the role of the ISP’s will be crucial in achieving success.

We have been extremely impressed by the TakeITon campaign launched by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) which sought to increase the awareness of local business on how to harness IT for business growth.

The Rural Services Network calls on all levels of Government and Regional Development Agencies to follow the lead of EEDA and RUN AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO PROMOTE AND EDUCATE ON THE BENEFITS OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY AND THE INTERNET.

The Rural Services Network calls on all levels of Government to ENCOURAGE FREE OR VERY LOW COST INTERNET HUBS IN COMMUNAL BUILDINGS SUCH AS THE LOCAL SCHOOL AND/OR POST OFFICE where practicable, through partnerships already established between the First and Third Sectors in this work.

However, alongside the lack of infrastructure, there is another block on access which threatens to keep the digital divide wide even after broadband is delivered. In rural areas, there is a lack of awareness of how the internet can be used, particularly where business are involved.

To see the whole document go to www.rsnonline.org.uk

- Posted on Monday 04 Jan 2010 at 14:52 by Jim Hardcastle

Tags: broadband (3), community (6), countryside (20), digital (38), digital focus (2), digital ranger (2), internet (6), online social networking (3), rural (32), rural affairs (3), rural communications (6), rural marketing (4), rural services network (1), social networking (13)