Broadband tax on the way?

[darren-b]

In balance, I don't mind the idea of this tax as long as the investment happens for those non-economically viable areas. I don't like the idea of companies using it as an excuse to significantly hike the monthly price. (They're so predictable, it's sure to happen.)

But the government should not bother with the tax and instead offer business grants to companies willing to invest in radio/wireless services and providing this to rural areas. This would be more beneficial in many respects (creates jobs, for example).

The tax is to raise money for the business grants (or eqivalent).

Possible solutions can be satellite based broadband to service a whole village. I have seen a similar solution in Poland: a highspeed connection coming in to the block of flats and then cable plus wireless used to share it out. It was a lad living in the block which set up the network and then went on to do the same for other buildings in the area. The end result was a viable and popular ISP by adapting a solution to fit the location.

This already happens in the UK - satellite broadband to one house, then wireless to the rest of the village. One problem is the whole internet for the village is then dependant on one house (if he decides to turn it off....). Though the main problem is costs, especially for speeds equivalent to the next generation networks.