General Election 2019 - AND IT’S LIVE!

[welshbairn]

If Elon Musk's and other projects for satellite based broadband come to fruition, the whole exercise of giving superfast broadband to the last cottage on Barra could end up being a lot cheaper. We might not be able to see the stars anymore though, through analogue eyes anyway.

Edited November 15, 2019 by welshbairn

[welshbairn]

5 minutes ago, Poet of the Macabre said:

Would it not go against EU comp rules? Or are Labour assuming their 2nd referendum would also result in Leave?

One of the Labour spokesmen said it would comply with EU rules, for what it's worth.

[Joey Jo Jo Junior Shabadoo]

2 minutes ago, Granny Danger said:

The coverage in the MSM of the Labour broadband proposal is absolutely shocking.

Balanced coverage is already out the window.

There has been no coverage that I have seen about the past Tory election promises that have not been delivered, for example on absolutely fucking everything.

FTFY

Immigration, Brexit, Borrowing, Growth, Crime, Happiness, Housing, Roads, Transport, Environment, Getting Your Hole, Chocolate Bar size, etc, etc.

[Poet of the Macabre]

3 minutes ago, Granny Danger said:

If the provision of free services by a government to the populous is against competition rules how is the NHS allowed to operate?

I think the only way it would work is if they argued it was in the interests of "national solidarity".

Still would face obvious legal challenges, which could prove difficult. It's clearly going to be very popular though, so if it helps them win a few seats off the Tories then I'm all for it.

1 minute ago, welshbairn said:

One of the Labour spokesmen said it would comply with EU rules, for what it's worth.

Labour also changed their mind three times in one day about if and when they'd allow a second independence referendum. Like most politicians, what they say and what they do are vastly different things.

[doulikefish]

Broadband isnt a devolved power im sure you know that

I'm right in the 'I'll believe it when I see it camp'.
Inverness has one of the worst broadband coverage in Scotland so if our own Scottish Government can't even deliver on their promise of super fast broadband, what chances have of a UK elected Labour government?
From the Inverness Courier -

Highland MSP ‘shocked and dismayed’ over broadband broken promises

---

By Tom Ramage - t.ramage@sbherald.co.uk   Published: 16:19, 30 October 2019  | Updated: 16:20, 30 October 2019

---

  Edward Mountain is ‘shocked and dismayed’ that the Scottish Government today (Wednesday, October 30) confirmed that their R100 broadband programme would not deliver for all households and businesses The outburst followed an evidence session held by the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee regarding digital infrastructure.
The Highland MSP also fears that the Scottish Government will not deliver superfast broadband to the Highlands until 2024.
Holyrood announced in 2017 that it would deliver superfast broadband to all homes and households by 2021, but the project has been dogged by delays.
BT has been confirmed as the preferred bidder to deliver R100 to South Scotland and Central Scotland. A preferred bidder for the North Scotland region, which includes the Highlands and Islands, has yet to be confirmed by the Scottish Government.
Following the REC Committee session Mr Mountain said: “I am shocked and dismayed at the Scottish Government’s mishandling of the rollout of superfast broadband.
"It was made clear that the R100 programme will not deliver fibre broadband to every household and business. That means private companies will be expected to plug the gap at their own expense and that could mean there are significant price differences for internet access across the Highlands.
"It’s now almost inevitable the Scottish Government will break their promise of delivering R100 by 2021 and I fear that Highlanders will not access superfast broadband until 2024.
"While Southern and Central Scotland at least know that BT is the preferred bidder to deliver R100, we are no further forward in the Highlands."
He said the Scottish Government’s handling of their R100 programme had been a complete shambles.
"They have dithered and delayed and as a result too many families and businesses are stuck with little to no internet at all.
"Today the Minister left me with little confidence that delivering superfast broadband would be accelerated anytime soon.
"Frankly, that’s unacceptable. We need superfast broadband for the Highlands as a matter of urgency.”
 

[Dan Steele]

5 minutes ago, Snafu said:

so if our own Scottish Government can't even deliver on their promise of super fast broadband,

Is this not a reserved matter?

[alta-pete]

If Elon Musk's and other projects for satellite based broadband come to fruition, the whole exercise of giving superfast broadband to the last cottage on Barra could end up being a lot cheaper. We might not be able to see the stars anymore though, through analogue eyes anyway.

Bassa, you beat me to it.

I can’t predict the future better than anyone else but I’d be hugely surprised if we were still sending information down cables by 2030.

It amazes me even now how so much money is being poured into fibre optics when I (and I’m sure I’m not alone in this) live 700m from the exchange box and that last 700m of internet access come down an old fashioned copper phone line.

Predicting the future (see what I did there?) I can only see some sort of wireless/satellite system rendering hundreds of thousands of miles of cable redundant. And that well before 2030.

[alta-pete]

And right on cue there’s an article on Reporting Scotland with some Eberdeen fermer who’s got his satellite system.

[Jim McLean's Ghost]

8 minutes ago, alta-pete said:

Bassa, you beat me to it.

I can’t predict the future better than anyone else but I’d be hugely surprised if we were still sending information down cables by 2030.

It amazes me even now how so much money is being poured into fibre optics when I (and I’m sure I’m not alone in this) live 700m from the exchange box and that last 700m of internet access come down an old fashioned copper phone line.

Predicting the future (see what I did there?) I can only see some sort of wireless/satellite system rendering hundreds of thousands of miles of cable redundant. And that well before 2030.

Fibre is going nowhere.

The throughput of fibre is orders of magnitude higher than any theoretical wireless system. More reliable too.

Even if the last part were to be wireless the whole network would still need to be run on a fibre backbone.

[Jim McLean's Ghost]

3 minutes ago, Snafu said:

I don't think you are wrong with wireless technology.

As you probably already know Virgin Media provide broadband without a landline https://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/ask-our-expert/without-landline

I doubt it will be very long before the more adventurous broadband companies move in to provide competition and maybe drive the prices down.

Virgin Media (or their cable predecessors like NTL or Telewest) built their own cable network that does not rely on the BT phone network. It is not wireless.

[DeeTillEhDeh]

Anyone know who is behind The UK Union Voice?

Had a few things shared from gullible unionist relatives - trying to find out more.

[doulikefish]

Is that not mainky jacket?

Anyone know who is behind The UK Union Voice?

Had a few things shared from gullible unionist relatives - trying to find out more.

[DeeTillEhDeh]

Is that not mainky jacket?

That's what I thought but need confirmation.

Need to let them know if they are sharing stuff from an antisemitic shitebag.

[Baxter Parp]

59 minutes ago, Jim McLean's Ghost said:

Virgin Media (or their cable predecessors like NTL or Telewest) built their own cable network that does not rely on the BT phone network. It is not wireless.

Like many other companies they do provide internet services for those not on their network though. Not nearly as good as their cable and reliant on BT's fibre/copper.

[Baxter Parp]

 

[John Lambies Doos]

Didn't expect you to fall for this ridiculous right wing media narrative.

I'm not tbh. Both main parties in England are just making shite up. Wish we didn't have to be associated with it, that's all.

[Detournement]

It's the UK wide result from 2017.

It doesn't say any constituency on it.

[Detournement]

1 minute ago, MixuFixit said:

Inverclyde in the thread

Aye but not on the leaflet.

McCafferty is raging that a bar chart that says 2017 UK GE result shows the UK 2017 GE result on it. He should get a chippy and stop feeding on likes and retweets.

[O'Kelly Isley III]

I'm right in the 'I'll believe it when I see it camp'.
Inverness has one of the worst broadband coverage in Scotland so if our own Scottish Government can't even deliver on their promise of super fast broadband, what chances have of a UK elected Labour government?
From the Inverness Courier -

Highland MSP ‘shocked and dismayed’ over broadband broken promises

---

By Tom Ramage - t.ramage@sbherald.co.uk   Published: 16:19, 30 October 2019  | Updated: 16:20, 30 October 2019

---

  Edward Mountain is ‘shocked and dismayed’ that the Scottish Government today (Wednesday, October 30) confirmed that their R100 broadband programme would not deliver for all households and businesses The outburst followed an evidence session held by the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee regarding digital infrastructure.
The Highland MSP also fears that the Scottish Government will not deliver superfast broadband to the Highlands until 2024.
Holyrood announced in 2017 that it would deliver superfast broadband to all homes and households by 2021, but the project has been dogged by delays.
BT has been confirmed as the preferred bidder to deliver R100 to South Scotland and Central Scotland. A preferred bidder for the North Scotland region, which includes the Highlands and Islands, has yet to be confirmed by the Scottish Government.
Following the REC Committee session Mr Mountain said: “I am shocked and dismayed at the Scottish Government’s mishandling of the rollout of superfast broadband.
"It was made clear that the R100 programme will not deliver fibre broadband to every household and business. That means private companies will be expected to plug the gap at their own expense and that could mean there are significant price differences for internet access across the Highlands.
"It’s now almost inevitable the Scottish Government will break their promise of delivering R100 by 2021 and I fear that Highlanders will not access superfast broadband until 2024.
"While Southern and Central Scotland at least know that BT is the preferred bidder to deliver R100, we are no further forward in the Highlands."
He said the Scottish Government’s handling of their R100 programme had been a complete shambles.
"They have dithered and delayed and as a result too many families and businesses are stuck with little to no internet at all.
"Today the Minister left me with little confidence that delivering superfast broadband would be accelerated anytime soon.
"Frankly, that’s unacceptable. We need superfast broadband for the Highlands as a matter of urgency.”
 

I watched interviews with rural dwellers somewhere in England on tonight's BBC News. To a man and woman they were bemoaning the abysmal bps rates they endure.

To a man and woman they will almost certainly vote for a Conservative candidate whose party cares not a jot for infrastructure investment as a social benefit.

JK Galbraith's dictum of private wealth and public squalor is as relevant in the UK as it ever was.

[Baxter Parp]

2 hours ago, Snafu said:

I'm right in the 'I'll believe it when I see it camp'.

Inverness has one of the worst broadband coverage in Scotland so if our own Scottish Government can't even deliver on their promise of super fast broadband, 

As of 2018 Scotland has 92% superfast broadband coverage, the commitment is 100% by 2021.