The Internet Is Creating A Two Tier Society

There has naturally been a good deal of interest in the rollout of Superfast Broadband across the county recently. This is being undertaken as part of a joint venture between Somerset and Devon under the umbrella title of 'Connecting Devon & Somerset' (CDS). Aided by considerable, but insufficient, government funding, the remainder of the cost is being largely being funded locally, from an ever diminishing pot, and with the establishment of partner organisations to take up the rest of the slack.
Despite the frustrations of those who are not yet connected, we do have every reason to be proud of the fact that this is the most ambitious project in Europe. There is no doubt about the benefits of being connected, but I believe that this also comes at a cost, and that we are in danger of creating a two-tier society; in a way which we not have perceived as being possible, or as rapdily, even 20 years ago.
I am led to believe that one of the first, and most important, questions asked by businesses thinking of relocating to the area, in addition to those considering a residential move to this desirable neck of the woods, concerns broadband access. It can certainly have an impact on the value of a property, as many of those wanting to up sticks are beginning to find.
In my County Councillor role I frequently field enquiries from local residents, many of whom run businesses from home. They are rightly concerned about the effect that this can have on their ability to perform; meeting expectations that are taken for granted elsewhere in the country.
My own concerns are of a more personal nature. Living in Combe St. Nicholas, it is not unusual for me to be unable to access the internet at all on a regular basis, which is at the very least irritating. Although I like to think I am fairly competent, I have always been technologically resistant.
As we have all become used to the expectation of being contactable 24/7, I find that I resent the increasing demands that this method of communication imposes upon me, often to the exclusion of all else.
Latest statistics from the ONS reveal some interesting facts. In the UK by 2013, 21 million households (83%) had Internet access, with 36 million adults (73%) accessing the Internet every day. This is almost double what it was when such records began in 2006. Likewise, many of us are increasingly using the Internet to purchase goods or services. I worry about the impact of this upon our local shops, as many businesses, finding it more cost effective, choose to go down the online route. Already our high streets are revealing a shift away from the traditional businesses upon which we have built our communities, as the increasing number of empty shop fronts demonstrates all too well.
I was prompted to pen this piece by an alert from the Rural Vulnerability Service, in which the headline news, provided by a study conducted by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, was 'Households without internet access pay an average of £440 more a year for goods and services'. This equates to 4.4% of the average household income.
This in effect means that 17% of households (5.4 million), which are likely to be in the lower income bracket to start with, are being adversely affected by this relentless drive towards 'making' us move over to the Internet. The vast majority of these people are also amongst the poorest 10%, especially when taking into account the high level of older vulnerable groups, particularly within Somerset; not an inconsequential amount when trying to make ends meet.
Somerset is largely rural, and it is rural households in isolated communities that are most likely to lack internet access.
The campaign, which I wholeheartedly support, is calling on service providers to give their customers the choice of receiving their bills and statements on paper at no extra charge.
Households unable to take advantage of lower energy and telecoms tariffs available by switching to online-only services could miss out on a potential annual saving of £139.
Yes, of course I acknowledge that we must embrace change if we are not to be left behind. What price for progress though, where what we have created is a digital divide that will only become greater; where in future our social standing will largely be determined by our ability to access and use the Internet. We are all living longer, so until the young technology whiz kids reach retirement age, the problem is likely to get worse before it gets any better.