A new Report from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Committee has today highlighted the continuing digital divide
between urban and rural areas.
The divide between these areas, as well as between rural towns
and sparser rural settlements, continues to marginalise
communities and be the cause of frustration.
Despite significant improvement in both rural broadband and
mobile coverage in recent years, it has only barely kept up with
increasing demand. Poor connectivity continues to hinder rural
businesses and is preventing people from engaging with online
public services the rest of the country take for granted.
The Government has recognised that connectivity must be treated
as a utility with its introduction of the broadband Universal
Service Obligation (USO) and has outlined a commitment to ensure
the divide between urban and rural areas is not exacerbated
through various funding initiatives,
However, given the continued challenges posed to rural businesses
and communities, the Committee is not confident that the
Government has fully grasped the extent of the problem, the scale
of the challenge, or the wider cost of poor connectivity for the
rural economy.
This Report states that the current specification for the
Universal Service Obligation is inadequate and lacks ambition for
rural areas. It is not truly “universal” and its minimum speed of
10Mbps will be obsolete soon after introduction.
This Report also welcomes the ambition of the new Prime Minister
to deliver universal full-fibre broadband by 2025 but is
sceptical as to whether this new target will be achieved without
potentially controversial reforms.
In addition, this Report recommends a “rural roaming” solution is
needed to tackle partial “not-spots” in mobile coverage in the
absence of a forthcoming agreement between Government and Mobile
Network Operators.
, the Chair of the
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, said:
“Despite improvements in coverage since our predecessor’s Report,
our inquiry has shown that poor broadband and mobile data
services continue to marginalise rural communities, particularly
those living in hard to reach areas.
“Digital connectivity is now regarded by many as an essential
utility, with many in rural areas struggling to live a modern
lifestyle without it. There continues to be a lot of frustration
felt by those living or working in rural areas – and rightly so.
“We support the Government’s commitment to the broadband USO and
an “outside-in” approach to full fibre roll out, ensuring that
rural areas are prioritised in the future. We also welcomed the
Prime Minister's commitment to achieve universal full-fibre
broadband by 2025.
“However, the Committee is not confident that the Government has
fully grasped the scale of the challenge currently faced and is
sceptical as to whether the Government will meet these ambitious
new targets without considerable and potentially controversial
reforms.
“In addition, on the eve of 5G mobile data services, people in
rural areas will increasingly feel like second class citizens if
they can’t access 4G or even 3G services. Rural roaming must be
seen as a solution, if no voluntary proposal is agreed between
mobile network operators and Government.
“The problem of poor connectivity in rural areas has gone on for
far too long. With so many of our public services now delivered
primarily online, it is imperative that this problem is resolved
and that rural communities are granted the same digital access as
the majority of their urban counterparts.”
