Dales campaigners launch broadband survey

THE Government has made much of its campaign for a digital Britain that would see homes and businesses connected to the broadband network - yet if you live and work here in the Yorkshire Dales you could be forgiven for thinking the campaign has passed you by.

Many people in rural areas are still unable to get a broadband connection, and as one group of Dales campaigners put it - they live or work in a broadband notspot.

Slow or non-existent connections can mean for many they simply don't have enough broadband to do their job, for their children's education, or to engage in leisure activities such as downloading and uploading movies and music.

The Access to Broadband Campaign and Community Broadband Network are now looking for anyone in the Dales who cannot get broadband at all, or who can't get enough broadband to live, work and play.

They are running a national survey at http://www.notspot.info which just takes a couple of minutes to complete and will hopefully paint a more accurate picture of broadband access.

The problems have recently been highlighted on BBC Watchdog and Radio 4's You & Yours programme.

The survey data is being used by journalists, Regional Development Agencies, Ofcom, Government and local Councils to discover how widespread the problem actually is, and to look at ways to improve broadband Britain in 2007 and beyond.

The groups are asking that Dales folk take a couple of moments to let them know your broadband woes.

The survey is available at www.notspot.info