Welsh ‘notspots’ Prevent Competitive Business

Tourism chiefs claim that a lack of fast broadband is preventing companies based in Wales from being able to compete.

The Wales Tourism Alliance said "tech-savvy" visitors expected make to bookings online and then to stay connected during their trip.  One Pembrokeshire hotelier even spent £8,000 putting in wireless broadband to solve the ‘notspot’ problem faced by so many in Wales. 

However, Bristol-based firm, Avonline believe they have a solution.  They claim that their service uses a powerful satellite over Europe launched earlier this year to bring a guaranteed minimum 6mbps service.  Avonline said it was starting its UK promotion in Wales due to Ofcom's assessment of the poor broadband provision.

A spokeswoman said the Welsh government did not promote or endorse any individual company, system or technology within the broadband support scheme.  According to the Welsh government said there were more than 100 active applications from Pembrokeshire for its broadband support scheme, including five community schemes.

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Faster Broadband Speeds in Europe

According to official EC figures, Broadband speeds in Europe have shot up in the last year.

For example, in July 2010, 29% of broadband lines in Europe ran at speeds of at least 10 Mbps, revealed Commission research.  By contrast in July 2009 only 15% of broadband lines were capable of hitting that speed.

The figures clearly show improvement, but the Commission has also warned that a lot of work needs to be done in order to meet Europe-wide targets on access and speed.

"Fast broadband is digital oxygen, essential for Europe's prosperity and well-being," said Neelie Kroes, commissioner for the digital agenda.

The EC has set a target of giving every European citizen access to a speed of 30Mbps or more by 2020.  Furthermore, they want to give half of all the 220 million households in the region access to 100mbps broadband.  Denmark and the Netherlands are streets ahead the rest of us in Europe with high-speed links already available to about 80% of households.

First Click 2010 launched

9.2 million adults have never used the internet

60% of adults use the internet daily
 

Only 1% of 16 to 24-year-olds have never been online
Source: Office of National Statistics for the UK


Today, Terry Wogan has introduced First Click on Radio 2. First Click is a campaign running across the BBC people in the UK who do not have access to the internet to take the first steps to get online.

Broadband meets Politics

In a recent speech Gordon Brown has announced that Labour intends to give every home in the UK access to super-fast broadband; Calling high-speed web access "the electricity of the digital age" which "must be for all - not just for some".

The Conservatives say they have made a similar pledge and have attacked a £6-a-year landline levy planned by Labour.

The PM also said Labour planned £30m of funding for a new Institute of Web Science, to be based in Britain and jointly headed by Sir Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the world wide web.

In his speech, Mr Brown set out his plans to make Britain "the world leader in the digital economy" by 2020 - although there was no date set to provide the faster broadband for all homes.

Superfast broadband is generally regarded as speeds of 50Mbps (megabits per second) or above, but recent research suggests the majority of UK users currently get between 3Mbps and 4.5Mbps. (See below here)

The government is planning a 50p-a-month levy on landlines to prevent rural areas missing out on a fast network.