"free" okay but where does the money come from?
Rich peoples pockets (the few)?
A finite resource (not even a resource!) that people will wonder where they went after everything falls apart.
Labour pledges free broadband for all homes and firms in UK
31–40 of 72 posts
Re: Labour pledges free broadband for all homes and firms in UK
#32The history of Internet provision "for all" in the UK is atrocious. Massive government handouts followed by private companies that had lobbied for them failing to meet their promises is a summary. I can't see a nationalisation resolving the issues though, especially not with the paltry numbers being bandied around. I could see better regulation and forced separation of concerns achieving a lot however. That said, Int…
I suppose one argument for it is that it's easier to regulate it if you own it.
Re: Labour pledges free broadband for all homes and firms in UK
#33Free in this context is that everyone who already pays for broadband will still pay for it through increased taxes.
They will increase the line rental and standing charges to cover the cost.
Re: Labour pledges free broadband for all homes and firms in UK
#34Free in this context is that everyone who already pays for broadband will still pay for it through increased taxes.
I mean, that's how the NHS works and we generally pay less for that than Americans do for their healthcare.
Re: Labour pledges free broadband for all homes and firms in UK
#35Since there are multiple competing fibre companies, won't nationalising one company and offering "the fastest fibre free to all" bankrupt all of the other companies?
Like healthcare in the UK, private companies presumably won't go out of business but will instead offer a more expensive alternative for those willing to pay. An example I have is my Dad who at 60 needs a double need replacement, the NHS standard is to give him a full replacement free at the point of access for his knee that is totally shot. But he'll only get a partial replacement on the one that's not totally buggered. Well he didn't want that - he wants both doing to the same level because he's still very active, so he's going private in this case. Did he have to? No. But he wanted something above what the NHS was offering. And it's no slight on the NHS, he used them when he had cataracts around five years ago without any issue - his wait time was only a few weeks from the referral too.
I would probably be willing to pay for a better connection that what the government would provide as standard if offered because I spend my entire life online, I'm sure there will still be private ISP options with USPs to suit how I use the internet.
In the end that could easily give consumers more choice than they get now in areas that have poor coverage (where they usually get the option of a We still have insurance companies and private healthcare here, it's just most people don't use it because what we pay for any way is good enough. So then the private ISPs just have to offer something better.
Re: Labour pledges free broadband for all homes and firms in UK
#36Maybe scrap HS2 and spend the money on this instead? Seems a better use of however many billion we're up to and would probably make more of a difference...
Why suddenly giving 100% of Britain 100mbs BB wont do much for the national productivity.
That money would be better spent else where, better vocational training - Rebuilding the countries ability to say be able to make its own pistol or rifle
Can you see the spending round where the Postmaster General competing against the other departments for more funding for police or the NHS vs subsidising BB.
Re: Labour pledges free broadband for all homes and firms in UK
#37Free in this context is that everyone who already pays for broadband will still pay for it through increased taxes.
Most already pay essentially a private tax for internet. It's quite necessary in some form in 2019 in a western society.
Re: Labour pledges free broadband for all homes and firms in UK
#38Well BT is available in all areas in the UK except for Kingston-Upon-Hull which has it's own broadband provider called KCOM which is enjoys a complete monopoly in the area with the city having fibre-optic in all areas. I wonder if this policy that given that it creates free-access to the internet but in the end it also creates a huge monopoly similar to KCOM that kills competition with the added bonus of only the big…
They do strike me as the sort of teachers pets who used to little playlets at assembly about "issues" who they have vaguely heard about.
There idea of employee shares is held in trust and taxed at 75%
But if we are renationalising the UK's telecom system then cough I have a few questions what about the crown guarantee, Section A Pensioners,
And of course those of us like me in Tymnet getting "screwed" by hr out of pay and the BT pension scheme - maybe Vint Cerf could get subpoenaed
Re: Labour pledges free broadband for all homes and firms in UK
#39Re: Labour pledges free broadband for all homes and firms in UK
#40Earlier quoted context omitted.
Presumably taxing people more to support them? I don't have a dog in this fight. But probably wise not to infer there aren't negative consequences if all bar one broadband companies get shuttered in a country.
I would gladly vote for paying all employees of all ISPs their current salary from taxes for a while, if it meant free, nationalized fast fiber in every home.
Creates more jobs, spreads knowledge, enables entertainment, connects the world. I'd say it's a great investment anywhere for society.