The most inexpensive fix for the digital divide is Wi-Fi says report

According to recent research carried out by a popular broadband news site, the best solution to the Broadband for All scheme implemented by the government recently is community based Wi-Fi broadband networks.

The recent promise made by the Government in its interim Digital Britain report to provide broadband access to every home in the UK by 2012 with a minimum connection speed of 2Mbps will be difficult for it to keep to, but with an overall cost of £2.5 billion, of which £750 million will be covered by Whitehall, the expense will be one of the most serious concerns for the Government.

A less expensive method of providing broadband services to urban areas that currently have limited on no broadband access is now being showcased in the form of community Wi-Fi schemes that are being sponsored by local councils, with the London borough of Islington as one key example.

A number of factors have been highlighted by the research as benefits of using mast-based wireless networks in the more densely populated areas of the country including the huge reduction in disruption that is usually caused during the laying of regular ADSL and fibre-optic broadband cabling and of course the much lower cost.

Andrew Barker, the project manager for Islington council said “Providing free external internet access along what’s now known as the Tech Mile has been a huge success for Islington Council. That’s why we’ve continued to build on the project and are now targeting service delivery into the homes of social housing residents using broadband over power lines. We’ve fielded amazing feedback from residents who have already benefited from free broadband access in their home and, as a result, we aim to deliver the service to an increasing number of targeted residents.”

Millions of people in the poorer areas of the country who currently don’t have access to broadband internet services would greatly benefit from the implementation of these kind of council backed wireless broadband schemes.