Economy Broadband for Low Income Households

A question about : Economy Broadband for Low Income Households

I am new to the forum and am writing my first post about a campaign that maybe MSE would like to consider. If not MSE then maybe there are people out there who know all about social media and organising campaigns who could rally support. I am not good with twitter and facebook but thought I should at least put something on this forum.

I think there is a need to campaign for the government to ensure people with low incomes and those on benefits are able to access the internet. Gradually local authorities, businesses schools and just about every company are forcing people onto their online services.

Essentially local authorities among others are saving money and forcing the general public to pay for a phone line and broadband access to use their services. That is likely to be at least Ј25 / month. It is a cost many people cannot afford. It could be seen that while saving money the local authority is passing its costs to members of the public who will have higher outgoings!

With the push to get essential public services online the government should ensure that vulnerable people, workers on low incomes and those on benefits have access by regulating providers of phone lines and broadband so that there is an economy tariff. It could be a phone line and broadband access at a special low rate.

I find it hard to believe that Age Concern, the CAB, Shelter, Mind and many other organisations working with vulnerable people have not been campaigning hard and lobbying the government for better regulation to ensure there is an affordable package for low income households.

It seems that internet access is becoming an essential service and yet many will struggle to pay for such services. Surely if the government and local authorities are forcing people onto internet based interfaces then they should also be ensuring providers of phone-lines and broadband have an economy tariff.

Why are there no online campaigns to get this debated in parliament? Why are poverty groups (I'm not sure of the correct term) not shouting from the rafters about people being forced to spend money they haven't got to gain access to on-line services.

Obviously there are also costs of buying a computer or a tablet to get online. Maybe costs of a printer, inks and costs of virus protection etc.

There is a massive amount of tax revenue from purchasing online services, phonelines and computer equipment. Perhaps some of these taxes could be used to subsidise economy tariffs for people on low incomes? Maybe people on low incomes could be subsidised when purchasing a device to access the internet?

The choices to visit an office and see people face to face are being taken away. Libraries are being closed so that is for many not an option when trying to access online services.

I've probably written enough for you to get my drift and I hope people can build on some of the ideas I've suggested. I'm sure there are people out there who know far more about these things than me and may have much better ideas about how people can be helped.

I'd be interested for people to share their thoughts regarding a campaign for an economy tariff or whatever name might be given to making broadband services available to people on low incomes. If anyone is a whizz with social media then perhaps an online campaign is called for but I wouldn't know where to start.

Thank you for reading this and thank you for sharing any ideas you may have.

Kind regards
Mr P

Best answers:

• If you're willing to use 3/4G for your internet you can get a 1GB a month package from Three for about Ј8 a month with an upfront fee of Ј35. I think really we need to educate people that there are alternatives to landlines for the internet. As for virus protection there are free antivirus packages available, advertised on this site no less. You are correct about printing but even a laserjet which are relatively cheap to run can be had now for not a huge amount of money (especially second hand).
  It's down to resourcefulness as far as I can see.
• https://www.bt.com/includingyou/other...n_FURL_btbasic
• Libraries are expensive for internet use anyway, they will tell you it's free for jobseekers but actually that only applies for 3 months.
  I think that link for BT Basic is phone only, not internet?
• I expect "poverty" groups are more interested in ensuring people have food to eat and a roof over their heads.
• Brighton & Hove libraries have free net access, but only an hour per day. quite a few cyber cafes, but Ј1 plus per hour..
  I cant see how JCP will cope with demand for their 'access points (ie, a pc!), if they expect everyone to be searching full time..
• BT Basic Ј5 a month?
  Several BB packages for around Ј3.50 a month.
• People could easily find Mobile Android, Chinese Tabs for around Ј50.00 (I have seen even for Ј40.00) and use this in the free hotspots. There are a lot of free hotspots available around the town, The good examples are fast food outlets/ Local libraries, dept stores are other examples
  People who are diligent whose normally also creative, could always find the way to bring down the cost.
  Unfortunately some people are too lazy to think. What worse is that those who are too lazy to think are those who already out of work and rely on other people money, taxpayers to support them.
  The natural law of free competition and new technology will bring down the cost of accessing internet naturally. How many people could access internet a few decades ago, how many could access today ? How much did they pay to get access to internet and compare it to today cost ?
  Campaign for free internet is just a waste of time and energy. Better to be used to other more useful things such to combat poverty, starvation, diseases, etc
• In our library it's free for half an hour a day, then high charges. No discounts for jobseekers. They do occasionaly have a free morning but not enough for the jobseekers to fulfil their commitments.
• Lots of places offer free wifi. Mcds, Wetherspoons, Costa, etc.
  Ok, you prob feel obliged to buy something when in there, so coffee at Mcds 99p (with free refill). Cheapest drink (other than tap water) at wetherspoons, cordial & soda 30p. Pot of tea at costa (varies) but usually around Ј1.50.
  Or go halves with a neighbour on a BB connection, if they are within range of the router