| The prominent Joseph Roundtree Foundation (JRF) | | | | The ‘digital divide' between those who are |
| has released its annual report on the public's | | | | able to exploit the potential of information and |
| opinion on what UK people need to earn to | | | | communications technologies (ICTs) via fast |
| achieve a socially acceptable standard of living. | | | | internet connections, and those who are not, is |
| Despite the austere financial climate, those | | | | seen as a major factor influencing wider social and |
| questioned in the research haven't reduced what | | | | economic inequalities. |
| they consider to be life's bare essentials. They still | | | | European satellite internet ISP Tariam continues to |
| feel as a minimum people need not just physical | | | | urge the Government in the UK to help |
| essentials like food, shelter and warmth, but also | | | | disadvantaged communities and not-spots by |
| other necessities that allow them to contribute | | | | looking more closely at the satellite broadband |
| and be involved in Society. | | | | option. |
| The JRF study shows that a typical family of two | | | | Tariam Managing Director Andrew Walwyn said |
| adults and two children needs an annual income of | | | | "It's frustrating to read the JRF studies and to be |
| at least £29,200 to afford the basics of life. For | | | | sitting here with the solution in our hands now. We |
| a single person the minimum is £14,400 – | | | | can deliver 3.6 Mbps broadband to any home or |
| this equates to full-time job earning £7.38 per | | | | site in the UK today with the minimum of fuss |
| hour. | | | | using our cheap home user solution Tooway. |
| Interestingly a computer and home internet | | | | Customers in Wales are now eligible for the new |
| connection are now considered fundamental for all | | | | Welsh Broadband Support Scheme meaning they |
| non-pensioner households. In the 2008 research, | | | | if they're in a not-spot we can get them online |
| they were only considered essential for families | | | | for free now. |
| with school-age children. As early as 1999 JRF | | | | "Lord Carter in his ‘Digital Britain' address last |
| were predicting that those with lower incomes | | | | year conceded that for up to 30% of the UK |
| were going to be excluded from the rapidly | | | | there's little or no commercial case for anyone to |
| growing ‘electronic economy' where | | | | invest in the next generation of broadband |
| increasingly everything from utilities to clothes | | | | services. What's clearly needed therefore is the |
| was going to be sourced online. | | | | UK Government to grasp the nettle and allocate |
| In another study JRF has concluded that lack of | | | | some money to help the other communities and |
| broadband communications can have a serious | | | | small businesses that are deprived of broadband". |
| affect on the futures of some communities. | | | | |