Recently a lot of attention has been paid to the slower growth of the
Internet in the UK as compared to the US. We are all probably familiar
with statistics such as UK Internet users spending an average of 17
minutes online while US users spend 1hour online. I have experienced the
type of phone bill that one can expect for staying online for 1 hour each
day for a month with BT and it doesn't make for good reading. I have also
been lucky to experience the difference in the US where unlimited usage is
available for around $20 (about 13-15 pounds) which makes reading,
exploring and interacting possible.
*ahh... the freedom to actually read at leisure while online - instead of
frantically surfing and copying and pasting text in a ten minute
'net-burst' as soon as the clock strikes 6pm*
A lobby of interested parties, especially the likes of AOL and Freeserve,
have argued for BT to introduce a similar package to the UK market. Last
week I think we finally saw signs of that taking shape. Unfortunately the
expected charge will be 34.99 pounds. This is not entirely surprising but
very disappointing.
I would argue that such a charge adds to the exclusion of those already
excluded in UK society. Being online offers people the chance to interact
in forum's such as this, to visit alternative web-sites, to read different
sources of information and expand interactions beyond the workplace or
home. It should be made available to all - not just those who have the
disposable income. I should add that I am even more surprised at BT's
decision when we consider the expected growth of e-commerce; one would
think that corporate Britain would want us all to be online and spending.
And what of New Labour? Surely an 'online Britain' is a modernised
Britain and a cool Britannia? Or is it only 'cool' if those who can
afford it are online, while the rest build, deliver and service the PC's
and produce and deliver the e-products being ordered?
Alistair
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Alistair Fraser
1st Year MA Student
Geography Department
Ohio State University
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