Digital Inclusion

Fixed line rental and credit checks, excessive move and change costs and the high cost of terminal devices are all barriers to enabling web connectivity in a meaningful way to some of the UK’s most disadvantaged communities.

However many of these excluded homes already have devices that are web enabled e.g. major games consoles, hand held games devices which have screens and virtual keypads already formatted for the web. Most homes also have a television, almost all of which could be used to provide digital services with relative ease.

In Hong Kong our parent company, PCCW, has pioneered the development of IPTV offering on-demand television over internet connections. It has developed specific technology to allow the delivery of web content to a TV, For example customers watching a film trailer can push a button and book the cinema seat of their choice and pay for it through their phone bill.

UK Broadband’s 4G network can deliver cost effective internet connectivity across entire cities or we can target specific digital exclusion hot spots such as individual estates. Residents can connect via a 4G modem, with a computer, games console or, soon, a television set.

A 4G network can support a variety of other applications enabling it to deliver indirect digital benefits to the excluded such as better services through mobile Local Authority working and a more secure environment via mobile CCTV.