One million cancel broadband as living costs rise

[Nearly Sane]

The pledge to make it free by Labour made sense to me.


https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-65622403

[Outrider]

Mr Starmer will be reneging on that shortly, then...

O.

[jeremyp]

The pledge to make it free by Labour made sense to me.


https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-65622403

Many services provided by the government are now provided mainly, if not exclusively, on the Internet. I think that imposes a moral duty on them to find some way to make sure that everybody has access to it.

That said, I wonder how many of the one million who have cancelled broadband also have a mobile phone contract with data. If you are under financial pressure, and you have to cancel one of your broadband contract or your phone contract, you would choose the former.

[ProfessorDavey]

Many services provided by the government are now provided mainly, if not exclusively, on the Internet. I think that imposes a moral duty on them to find some way to make sure that everybody has access to it.

I think for some time there will remain a group of people, mainly elderly, who will have no access to the internet because it's use is completely alien to them. The government making access available won't change that as it is not how these people operate. The issue isn't for the government to make the internet available to them, but to provide alternative ways of accessing services etc.

That said, I wonder how many of the one million who have cancelled broadband also have a mobile phone contract with data. If you are under financial pressure, and you have to cancel one of your broadband contract or your phone contract, you would choose the former.

Yes - I think that's likely to be a big factor - I think quite a lot of young people rely on mobile data and simply access free wifi where it is available. Having separate broadband in their (often shared) homes seems overly complex and not necessary.

[jeremyp]

I think for some time there will remain a group of people, mainly elderly, who will have no access to the internet because its use is completely alien to them. The government making access available won't change that as it is not how these people operate.

My parents are both in their 80's now and comfortable with using the Internet. I think the day when the elderly people who are not comfortable with using it have all died is really not far in the future, maybe ten years.

OK, there will probably always be a small subset of people who do not understand the Internet and there will have to be a service available to them  to help them get the basic services they need, but this need not be hugely expensive.

However, there will always be a much larger subset of people who cannot afford an Internet connection and this will be a more expensive problem to solve.

[ProfessorDavey]

My parents are both in their 80's now and comfortable with using the Internet. I think the day when the elderly people who are not comfortable with using it have all died is really not far in the future, maybe ten years.

Of course there are plenty of elderly people who are absolutely fine with the internet - but not all. And for those in the 70s, 80s and older who have never used the internet, no idea how to use the internet, giving them access (they probably already do should they choose to) isn't the solution. They will need an alternative, but you are right - in 10-20 years these people will largely have gone.