"Peter Scott" wrote in message
om...
This is not OT. Comms is a DIY matter when, like me, you are trying
to
improve lamentable speed by filters, wiring etc. The government has
proposed three levels of improvement to the broadband system. Only
one
level would help in rural areas. Up to now I have been resigned to
poor
speeds. Now that urban speeds are set to rocket, services will
change to
use them and soon rural users will be right out in the cold.
Wouldn't be
so bad if I paid a lot less!

I have written to Ofcom and attach the text below. Is anyone else
interested in offering an opinion to Ofcom?

Text of letter...

"I live in the country and have very poor broadband speed, at around
750
kbit/s. Each time I do a speed test I see what speed people get who
live
in the towns and cities. I have done all of the recommended things
to
improve it, but it is clear that it is simply distance from the
exchange
over copper cables that is the problem.

"Doing a speed test today set me thinking about what should be done.
The
speed I get is just about acceptable for the uses to which I put the
Internet. I won't be able to use any of the new services, but I am
resigned to that. However what really annoys me is that I pay
exactly
the same as people who get 4 Mbit/s or better.

"The government talks about action to improve speeds. I note that of
the
three proposals the one that would improve rural speeds is the last
option and, of course, costs the most. The hardened cynic in me
knows
that this is put in as a sop, to make it appear that it is being
considered. You and I know there is no intention of this being done.

"So what is to be done? The only way that things change in the
business
world is for there to be a threat to income. At the moment there is
no
commercial pressure to spend and improve. In fact ISPs and BT
benefit
from the situation because their cables have to carry less data but
they
get the same money. Creative solutions are needed and money is the
driver of these things.

"I think that anyone who gets regularly poor speeds should get a
refund
of subscription in the same way that railway companies have to
compensate lateness. Even better, they should get a much lower rate
to
start to start with. You really do have to do something and this is
one
simple and effective tactic. If it meant that ISPs refused to accept
rural connections then the situation would be out in the open!"

Peter Scott

Well I moved from the fringes of London, where I got about 2Mb/s to
here where we have no gas and no mains sewage, but my broadband is now
8Mb/s !!!!!!!

AWEM