BT - time to step up to the plate?
I have just read a fascinating research paper from Becta, ‘Meeting their potential: the
role of education and technology in overcoming disadvantage and disaffection in
young people’ [PDF
844Kb]. The report offers a valuable insight into the digital divide, but in
its recommendations misses a vital opportunity to identify one of the main
reasons for a digital divide; the lack of a universal service offering (USO)
for broadband. All the more interesting is that this report is published on the
website of Citizens Online,
of which BT is a founding sponsor and part of the charitable triad that also includes
Everybody online
and the Alliance for Digital
Inclusion .
In an apocalyptic BT report The Digital Divide in 2025 (PDF
293Kb], BT endorse the opinion that “… when an item becomes a ‘must have’,
it will appear in the household. This is the case with Sky TV, widescreen
television, washing machines etc. Digital technologies are clearly not the
priority.”
BT is an
interesting organisation, Its ‘Better World’
campaign has lofty aims; prime objective “Helping
children in most need” where it sponsors charitable organisations, and Teaching
Awards 2008. Its online BT
Learning Centre generously offers free samples of commercial courses as
tasters … etc.
In practice?
BT phenomenally increased wholesale prices for the circuits used by education, ramped
up prices for access to the local loop (the copper cables from the exchange to
the premises), and lacks the vision to provide the one thing in its gift, broadband
to the poorest and most needy families. It can therefore be argued that BT is a
contributor to the digital divide. BT is required to meet a Universal
Service Obligation (USO) which means that no matter how poor, you should be
able to get a telephone service … but not broadband. The Internet access USO is
restricted to a narrowband service that often costs more in call charges than
broadband.
Interestingly,
mobile services offer pay as you go, but this concept isn’t available for
landline broadband, despite the fact that the cables in the ground were paid
for years ago and on most social housing estates sit in the ground doing
nothing.
One of the
biggest challenges of the recent Computers for Pupils government initiative
aimed at providing kit and broadband to the most needy families in the most
deprived areas was getting the connectivity. Where were BT? On the home access
task force influencing government, but not proposing meaningful concessions.
The
Final Report of the Minister’s Taskforce on Home Access to Technology [PDF
1.34Mb] (Universal Home Access) proposes funding on a sliding scale, with
those on out of work benefits receiving an allowance that buys them kit and one
years connectivity. What is the point of one years connectivity when it is
unlikely to be maintained beyond the year.
BT has a shadowy presence across government and involves itself in every opportunity
to lobby on issues surrounding the digital divide but I can’t find one reference to any offer to address the issue directly by offering social tariffs or
pay as you go for landline broadband. The Universal Home Access programme offers BT a real opportunity to make an impact at minimal business risk and demonstrate real corporate responsibility by
tackling the digital divide in a very direct way. Many of our poorest and neediest
children live with their families in social housing on large estates. BT cables
already sit in the ground on all of those estates, and for a minimal altruistic
investment this country could gain huge social dividends. BT was handed the nations
infrastructure on a plate, and seems to squirm
at its minimal universal service obligations. Wouldn’t it be good to see a noble BT step up to the plate! Oh, and halting the constant price hikes on connectivity
for schools would be a great idea too!