Campaign for faster rural broadband

Social media expert John Popham clocked up more than 1300 miles during Can’t Get Online Week to highlight the slow speed of rural broadband.

Some 20% of rural areas lack an effective broadband connection, claims campaigner organiser the Country Land & Business Association (CLA).Mr Popham travelled more than 1300 miles touring England from 30 October to 6 November 2011, visiting rural communities with broadband issues.

Often meeting rural residents in village halls, he explained how they might get connected using little-known techniques and systems.

In many cases, it is possible to get online — despite the seemingly insurmountable rural barriers of connectivity, technology or attitude.

But doing so can involve expensive satellite systems that cost much more than the super-fast connections available to rural residents.

The CLA’s alternative to the national “Get Online Week” included the launch of a petition calling on the government to speed up rural broadband connections.

More than 100,000 rural businesses do not have a broadband connection, leading to a clear rural-urban digital divide, according to CLA figures.

Mr Popham was the organiser of Twicket, the world’s first live broadcast of a village cricket match.

He also held the first ever social media surgery at a country show at the Great Yorkshire Show earlier this year.