Broadband

[Pixxie7]

To think that the government should pay for broadband for the whole country whilst this crisis is on, to help ensure people can communicate

Need to hope that the broadband infrastructure holds up first as people move to using home connections rather than business connections

Not everyone has broadband

@ dinner that’s my point, not everyone has or can afford broadband it would be a way of keeping people connected.

Ummmm why? Most people that need it have it, anyone who doesn’t is unlikely to also have a computer to use it with.

The govt doesn’t have unlimited pools of money and this isn’t an essential

That's why the free TV license for over X age has been postponed
Elderly people will receive it free for longer

No need at all radio and tv

To think that the government should pay for broadband for the whole country whilst this crisis is on, to help ensure people can communicate

I'm guessing you are one of those people who thinks government spending is free money. What you are proposing (probably, guessing at you finances) is that I pay for you broadband in addition to paying for my own.

Actually I'm not against redistribution in general, but it hardly seems necessary with broadband. It's cheaper and less essential than water or electricity, and the government doesn't provide those.

If people can't afford things of any kind, that's what benefits are for. (If benefits aren't enough, they can be increased.)

I think I'm saying YABU, on the grounds that it's not for government to tell people what to spend their money on. If there was going to be a broadband-sized hand-out, the way to do it would be to increase benefits by £25 a month. This would only go to people who were relatively hard-up, so cost government a lot less, and it would be spent on what people most need, which is for them to decide, and might not be broadband.

The govt doesn’t have unlimited pools of money and this isn’t an essential

The government has shown recently that they can indeed find money when needed.
And broadband is definitely going to be an essential over the coming 18 months if you think about it.

We have been given handouts with logins for online work for children who are off school. I know at least 2 parents who don't have either internet or a device at home which is suitable for the page/app. In this society, internet is an essential. It's even necessary for the people on the lowest paid benefits as on UC you have to log online to apply, make then aware you're job seeking every day or inform them of changes in circumstances. Nationalised broadband would be fantastic in tackling these issues.

And I don't like anyone who says 'me paying my taxes is me paying for you [on benefits] to have X, Y and Z'. It just makes you seem like a dick.

And I don't like anyone who says 'me paying my taxes is me paying for you [on benefits] to have X, Y and Z'. It just makes you seem like a dick

Fair enough. Ignore my post except for the final paragraph. I stand by that.

This was Jeremy Corbyns bright idea at the election, wasn’t it ? Got the response it deserved. Free for everyone was something no one had asked for. That’s not the same as offering help to those who genuinely can’t afford it.

What is needed is good fast, reliable service to everywhere in the country rather than some areas being slow or unworkable.

A better option would be to use the BBC tv network to deliver classes. This would dramatically reduce the broadband usage. Then it might just not go bang so quickly.

It might be less individualised but it would be a good start to the curriculum and if no tv can still be accesssd via iplayer.

The government has shown recently that they can indeed find money when needed.
And broadband is definitely going to be an essential over the coming 18 months if you think about it.

Do you propose they also pay for computers for people that don’t have them and training to understand how to use them?

If the Government did provide free broadband, someone would have to pay to "maintain the network" & this is what would cost a huge amount of money. Data centres, broadband systems & back up systems don't run on fresh air !

That’s not such a bad idea free broadband. As most of the people that keep our communication networks working are in India the government could use the overseas aid budget to pay them.

Those people without broadband, would also need to purchase or borrow a device too eg mobile phone, laptop, desktop PC, iPad
The cost adds up

I've just signed up for my daughter to have broadband at home as she is now working from home and can't afford to either pay for it or lose her job. I look at it as a small contribution I can make with no real loss to me, fortunately.

@RandomLonderner don’t presume things I pay my way completely. However I was actually thinking of the elderly and the families living in deprivation. I have always paid my taxes so no not asking others to pay for me at all.