Rural areas set for better internet and mobile speeds?

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Monday, February 20, 2012
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VJ_Slack

Brigg and Goole MP Andre Percy has had a met with officials to discuss high speed broadband for rural areas and mobile phone coverage.

Mr Percy met with Adam Higgitt, the head of Government and Parliamentary Businesses at regulator Ofcom and Graham Louth, director of Spectrum Markets.

The MP said the meeting was important for rural communities suffering from slow-fixed internet speed and poor mobile phone signal.

Ofcom told Mr Percy that they are set to auction mobile phone spectrum freed up from things such as the switch from analogue to digital TV.

Stipulations attached to the auction would mean at least 98 per cent of the population would be covered by signal from next generation 4G technology, increasing mobile sped and voice coverage.

Ofcom said they were looking at linking these proposals to the Coalition Government's £150m investment to improve mobile phone signal in the hardest to reach places.

The meeting follows last year's announcement that the Humber region would get £8.5m of funding for proposals which include 90% of our area having access to super-fast broadband.

The proposals mean the remaining 10% should have speeds of at least 2Mbps allowing fast browsing and the use of video streaming services like the BBC's iPlayer.

Mr Percy said: "For many communities mobile phone and broadband coverage is insufficient. Meeting with Ofcom, it was clear that the roll out of 4G mobile coverage has the potential to increase broadband speeds and coverage to all but the most isolated of communities.

"With the Government committed to broadband coverage to 90% of homes, much of the remaining 10% could potentially be covered by 4G.

 

"The Internet is becoming an increasing part of peoples home and work lives. A failure to roll out broadband properly puts rural communities at a distinct disadvantage to more urban communities."

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4 Comments

  • Profile image for gludiog

    by gludiog

    Monday, February 20 2012, 2:30PM

    “Getting a bit of cheesed off with all the talk of higher broadband speeds and better coverage from Mr Percy et al .. about time they stopped talking and actually did something about it”

  • Profile image for IslePete

    by IslePete

    Monday, February 20 2012, 1:37PM

    “I hope MP Andrew Percy pushes for rural Northern Lincolnshire, we was promised Diamond cable many years ago and the project never reached the west of Scunthorpe despite the company promoting all villiages to have the fibre installed to allow TV and internet usage.

    Its about time we had this technology instead of having wind farm technology dumped on our door steps lets have some thing that will benefit the community.”

  • Profile image for Ian_Brigg

    by Ian_Brigg

    Monday, February 20 2012, 10:04AM

    “That has nothing to do with the speed or condition of your line and everything to do with the Orange Livebox having a limited range. I was on Orange for years and after changing my provider the range of the router has greatly improved.”

  • Profile image for ewbfchamp

    by ewbfchamp

    Monday, February 20 2012, 9:53AM

    “I am on Orange and frequently lose "contact" on my laptop at the other end of my own house despite having recently received a new livebox ! It's a disgrace.”

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