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Millions of people are at risk of mobile signal blackouts because they live in the four-fifths of UK constituency areas that suffer from patchy 4G mobile coverage, new analysis from Which? reveals. The Which? analysis of Ofcom’s Connected Nations...
The ‘ingenuity’ of community broadband schemes has been praised by the Financial Times. The article explains that many regions around Britain are ‘too sparsely populated to justify the cost that BT and Virgin Media would need to spend to...
The Local Government Association published a report last week highlighting concerns that ‘millions of people living in rural England are at risk of being 'left behind' and missing out on their fair share of future prosperity following the UK’s withdrawal...
Writing in The Telegraph, Conservative leadership candidate Boris Johnson pledged to tackle the digital divide He said that it was a ‘disgrace’ that there is such a ‘deep digital divide’ in the UK and that ‘so many rural areas...
Graham Biggs was part of a panel of rural experts that gave evidence recently to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee who are currently exploring rural broadband and mobile coverage, the urban-rural divide, and future infrastructure challenges as the UK...
Plans to improve rural 4G connectivity must pass four tests if they are to deliver real benefits to rural communities, according to several campaign groups. The Yorkshire Post and other publications such as Open Access Government and the Farmers’...
The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee is launching an inquiry into Rural broadband and digital only services. Broadband, mobile infrastructure and access to digital services remain a central issue for rural communities. The EFRA Committee intends to...
The website Telecoms.com reports that the CEOs of the four major UK mobile network operators (MNOs) have agreed, in theory, on a collaboration plan to address areas of the UK still struggling with connectivity. The agreement comes after the...
Writing in LocalGov.co.uk this week, TrueSpeed Communications CEO Evan Wienburg argues for the importance of robust digital connectivity. He notes that while ‘we’re living in a golden age for young entrepreneurship’, young talent is being lost to cities and...
BT could be allowed to charge more for internet connections in the countryside, according to proposed rule changes by Ofcom. The regulator’s suggested changes are designed to encourage ‘bolder investment in broadband’, according to The Sunday Times. They...
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Amid reduced public spending, fair resource allocation across regions is crucial. Despite a population larger than Greater London, rural areas receive significantly less funding for essential services, even though delivering these services in rural areas is more expensive.
Economic growth is widely acknowledged as essential for national wealth and prosperity and is a priority for political parties. Rural economies, employing millions and home to a higher proportion of small businesses, have potential for growth if barriers are removed.
Rural residents face distinct healthcare challenges, including limited access to transport, longer distances to medical facilities, an aging demographic, housing inadequacies, digital connectivity gaps, and difficulties recruiting health and care workers.
Rural communities are grappling with a severe affordable housing crisis, marked by high house prices, a lack of affordable housing, elevated living costs, and lower incomes, threatening their sustainability and vitality.
Transport is vital for the quality of life and economic health of rural areas, yet it faces challenges such as infrequent public bus services and less Government funding compared to urban regions.
Rural areas, encompassing a substantial portion of England's population and land, play a pivotal role in combating climate change and achieving the net zero target.
In an increasingly digital world, the lack of robust digital infrastructure in rural areas severely limits access to crucial services and stifles economic growth.
A future-focused vision for rural communities involves not just building the right homes in the right places but also ensuring thriving, sustainable communities.
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