One-third of UK homes still without internet access
In its 2008 Internet Access report, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed that in spite ofthe rise of broadband, more than one-third of UK households are without a web connection, ZDNet reports.
According to the ONS’s 2008 Internet Access report, 65% of homes – some 16.46 mn. households – have internet access, an increase of 1.23 million households since 2007. While 35% of UK homes still have no internet access, this figure is down from 43% two years ago.
It appears that the digital divide/deficit is alive and well.
Read the original article, or read the original ONS press release (pdf).
Something about Steve Woods
Chief scribe
I notice the original article carefully does not mention the proportion of households which *don’t want* Internet. I do not own either a boat or a caravan, because I don’t want them – and I don’t feel remotely deprived.
Don’t forget that there are some (more remote) households which don’t yet have mains water, electricity, gas, or sewage – things people would consider a basic amenity – more important, even, than owning a TV, or the Internet.
Digging sewers is not “sexy” enough for the politicians to bother with – they are too bedazzled with the flashy new technology. They ought to be more concerned with the basic amenities of life. People die from a lack of food and shelter – they don’t die from a lack of the Internet.
It’s time we got our priorities right.
Thanks for your comment Allen. I think your points are very well made. There will always be a hard core of ‘Luddites’ resistant to various technologies (I for instance have not had a TV for over 15 years).
In terms of the total population of the world, the internet is still a luxury for the developed nations and the elites of the less developed.
As regards politicians, sewers may not be ‘sexy’ enough for them, although most deserve it as their natural habitat. 😉
Woodsy
By all means improve the lot of the “deprived” – but give them cake before you give them the icing.
I do not consider myself to be a luddite, but I do insist on technology being the servant and not the master. If it gets in the way of the real-world problem in hand then I won’t use it. (Why DRIVE to the gymnasium – why not walk?)
Allen C
Allen
I’d have thought bread was a more basic requirement than cake. 🙂
As regards technology as the servant, I couldn’t agree more. Moreover, it must and should not create more problems than it solves. And finally, if you do enough walking anyway, do you really need the gym?
Woodsy