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I am working on the DTI's Policy Action Team on 'Access to IT' (see http://www.open.gov.uk/co/.seu/seuhome.htm for the Social Exclusion Unit Report giving the Team's brief) and one of the issues we will be confronting is telecoms tariffs affecting online access at local level. I note the point in the 'Building the new library network' report http://www.lic.gov.uk/publications/building.html on telecoms tariffs, para 2.14(iv) in the summary: "telecommunications tariffs form the largest element in determining network costs (comprising about 50 per cent of ongoing costs). Securing a reduction in tariffs is an effective way of reducing costs. A discount similar to that currently enjoyed by schools but applied to broadband services could reduce the size of the funding gap by about 85 per cent." (There's more, for the indomitable of spirit, at appendix 15 and 16) I would be greatful for comments on this, relating to public access especially in disconnected low-income communities. Most particularly, comments on any attempts to develop local / regional partnership initiatives with telcos or other ICT agencies, where the issue has arisen. Trying to collect a little anecdotal evidence! thanks kevin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kevin Harris Community Development Foundation http://www.cdf.org.uk 60 Highbury Grove, London N5 2AG ... tel 0171 226 5375 ... fax 0171 704 0313 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%