News
There are an estimated 1.5 million people in the UK who cannot currently access superfast broadband services
A new report commissioned by the Office of National Statistics shows that 1 in 10 British households does not have access to broadband internet services.
The report showed that while the country’s digital divide is being reduced, there are still huge numbers of people in the country who cannot receive adequate broadband connectivity, something which is directly impacting the country’s economy.
On the back of the ONS report, research commissioned by Research Rural England CIC and Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) suggests that connectivity blackspots could be costing the UK economy £15 billion per year.
“The ONS report provides further clear evidence of the essential role of the internet in all our daily lives. According to recent figures, 4 per cent of the country still don’t have access to superfast speeds, with 53 per cent of rural areas still not receiving an average of 10Mbps during peak times. In this increasingly connected society, this is unacceptable. Rural communities in particular are often forgotten, which can have severe consequences for the UK’s overall economy, with an estimated £15 billion of turnover threatened by poor digital connectivity," said Mike Surrey, chief executive officer of Gigaclear.
Reducing Britain’s digital divide will be a key theme at next year’s Connected Britain event, when the show returns to London on the 18th and 19th June 2019.
Also in the news:
DCMS’ new Secretary of State must focus on reducing the UK’s digital divide
Could a post Brexit skills shortage hamper the UK’s efforts on 5G?
UK Digital Minister: 5G is not just another G
