New digital divide set to hit the UK

Whilst there has been much talk about the digital divide in the UK between those with access to broadband Internet and those without, some industry officials believe that high speed internet will bring with it a new form of digital divide.

Over the past couple of years there has been a lot of talk and concern over the digital divide that has been seen in the UK with regards to those able to access broadband internet and those unable to get adequate access to this service. It has mainly been rural areas where adequate access has been restricted and urban areas where there has been a greater level of access to broadband internet.

However, whilst the government in the UK has been aiming to tackle the problems of the digital divide as part of its Digital Britain initiative, which aims to bring universal broadband for all within the space of several years, some industry officials believe that the problem could continue even if the government is successful in bringing broadband access to all.

According to a recent report some industry experts believe that despite these government efforts a new kind of digital divide is set to erupt in the UK over the coming years, and this will be between those able to access high speed Internet at speeds of 50Mbps or more and those only able to access the most basic broadband speeds.

One industry official said: “Ultra broadband will exacerbate the digital divide among different world regions, as well as within countries. Governments in countries that lag behind in the deployment of ultra broadband will come under increasing pressure to use public funds to upgrade broadband infrastructure to avoid falling behind.”

Source – Net Imperative