Connectivity
While we live in a global community, with more and more of our daily lives being online, much of rural Wales is being left behind as communities are still struggling to get online.
According to the Welsh Government “The level of digital exclusion in Wales is higher than in the UK, with as many as 7% of the population, or 180,000 people, not using the internet.” This is simply not good enough.
Getting online is vital
For rural communities to be truly sustainable broadband provision must improve. Farmers are required by governments and companies alike to fill in their forms electronically – yet in many rural areas of Wales many cannot get online! People in rural communities who want to start small, home-based, companies producing sustainable artisan products, need better internet access to sell to the world and make their business ideas viable.
Uphold Commitments
This an acute problem for older residents, but young people are also more likely to leave an area if they cannot get online, and during the pandemic, for many, online life was the only way of socialising!
CPRW will campaign for universal Superfast broadband provision across Wales, in compliance with the Welsh Government’s historic commitment and will work with Governments at all levels, Open Reach, BT and others to make this happen!
