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Success for Rural Mobile Campaign

Following a successful Parliamentary campaign involving East Yorkshire MP Greg Knight and others, Mr Knight today welcomed an announcement which will see mobile phone operators increase broadband coverage to an estimated 98% of the UK population.

Traditionally, up to 6 million people in Britain have been excluded from mobile coverage, particularly in rural areas because mobile phone companies were only obliged to cover 95 % of the population 90 % of the time.

Following pressure from Mr Knight and other MPs, from October 2011 onwards the Chancellor of the Exchequer has agreed to commit an extra 150 million pounds to boost mobile phone coverage in rural areas.

Now OFCOM have proposed that 98% or more of the population should receive 4G mobile broadband coverage. This means that across the UK millions who currently do not have a mobile signal will receive one, and that millions more will have their signal upgraded from a 2G ‘voice’ signal to a 4G signal, capable of carrying high speed data.

Mr Knight said, “This new investment will go a long way to bridging the digital divide and will mean that thousands of homes, schools, farms and businesses in East Yorkshire will get access to decent mobile and internet coverage for the first time”.

Mr Knight concluded: “In the 21st century geographical isolation should not mean digital isolation”.

Knight Welcomes Price Cut Ruling for Rural Broadband

East Yorkshire MP Greg Knight has welcomed the announcement by Ofcom that BT must cut the wholesale price it charges other internet providers in rural areas.

Mr Knight said: ‘In many rural telephone exchanges, BT is the only operator, and Internet Service Providers have to rent equipment from them. This can indirectly add as much as £10 to the typical monthly bill. Allowing for inflation, BT will now have to cut its wholesale prices by 12%. This will significantly reduce the price of broadband in rural areas for small providers.’

Mr Knight added: ‘I am pleased that Ofcom has recognised the unfair monopoly at some rural telephone exchanges. BT has been charging small internet service providers high rates to provide broadband to rural areas. This obviously forces them to pass on the costs to their customers. Ofcom’s announcement today is a step in the right direction.’

‘I will continue my campaign to make sure all residents of East Yorkshire have access to good-value, high-speed broadband. Geographical isolation should not mean digital isolation.’

Knight Welcomes Broadband Boost for Bridlington

Greg Knight, MP for East Yorkshire has welcomed the announcement by BT that Bridlington is to benefit from a £2.5 billion project to bring super-fast broadband to thousands of homes and businesses across East Yorkshire.

The programme, expected to be completed near the end of 2011 or in 2012 will mean that download speeds of between 40-100Mbps are achievable to all Bridlington residents in around 12 months.


Mr Knight with representatives from BT at a broadband launch

Mr Knight said, “Fast and reliable internet connections are vital for business and central to modern life. This new technology will open up countless opportunities for Bridlington residents from e-commerce, to working from home, to home entertainment, such as watching a movie or playing games online.”

“This news comes as a result of a long campaign for better broadband in East Yorkshire and is a great boost for Bridlington”.

It is yet to be determined how far outside Bridlington the new high speed broadband will reach but Mr Knight added, “My campaign continues for the whole of East Yorkshire to have access to broadband internet by the end of 2015. It is vital that communities that are geographically isolated do not become digitally isolated”.

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