Enabling connectivity for all – but how?

Is it realistic to think everyone can be connected? There’s a strong and proud history of universal service for basic telephony in many countries. I live and work in one such market. But as we continue to hear about a digital divide, usually because of a lack of access, or skills, how can we effectively serve all of a population and connect the unconnected?

The issues can vary hugely by geography, of course. When I spoke on this subject at the big Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona this week, I was joined on a panel by a lady from Alaska, where around 730,000 people inhabit an area of 1.7 million square kilometres. This is a place where the whales outnumber the humans by two to one! As a native Dutchman, it’s hard for me to get my head around that – where I come from, nearly 17 million people are packed into an area of around 40 thousand square kilometres.

It’s clear that in some areas digital infrastructure is going to be even more important than the physical framework of roads, railways and airports. A country's digital backbone gives people more opportunities and access than ever before. What’s more, research shows that being connected improves the educational outcomes of young people and can play a major role in countering social isolation and depression among the elderly.

Yet digital exclusion is still a big issue for many countries - here in the UK, for example, there are ten million people not using the internet. Governments and the industry clearly have much more still to do to tackle this.

Up until now, the people who are not close to the technology have placed their belief in the power of cables – fixed line infrastructure – not giving any credence to alternative solutions. But not only are many areas unsuited to solutions that rely on digging up the ground, there are also now many other viable options, like mobile broadband, voice over WiFi, small cell ‘micro’ networks, through to drones – and even balloons!

When I was asked to speak on this subject, I cast my mind back over the past decade, during which both digital exclusion and the health of the mobile industry have led to consolidation.

Carrying the burden of expensive 3G licence auctions at the start of the last decade, all UK operators found it hard to invest enough in their networks. Customers suffered because of that. By consolidating the Orange and T-Mobile networks in the UK, my company was able to produce the investment needed to create EE and launch Britain’s first 4G service in October 2012.

Since EE was born, we’ve added more 4G customers than any other operator in Europe. What’s more, we have kept on investing and developing in further services like double-speed 4G and 4G+ (which achieved incredible speeds of 400Mbps just last week).

That’s the role that operators can play.

But connecting the unconnected is about much more. We have to consider the important role of charitable organisations like Go ON UK, which are dedicated to reaching parts of the population that technology cannot reach alone – those who lack the basic skills to benefit from the digital world around them.

And of course government, regulators and other ruling bodies have to play their part in creating an ecosystem whereby if you need connectivity, you can have it. And one in which, once you have that connectivity, you can use it in a meaningful way to enhance your life – at home, at work, or on the move.

I’d like to hear your thoughts on this subject, and the role of the various players who have an interest in it.

Photo credit: Maurizio Pesce