onlincolnshire supporting ICT innovation

Onlincolnshire has been launched via 'County News' to help Lincolnshire communities campaign for better broadband.

Lincolnshire residents and businesses are being urged to make their voices heard in calling for improved broadband across the county. 

The county council is already arguing strongly for more investment from broadband providers in areas where services are poor. 

It also wants to convince the Government to spend some of the funds it is making available for rural areas over the next five years on better digital connections in Lincolnshire. 

In both cases, the council needs backing from local people and businesses to show there is the demand and the need for improvements. 

With that in mind, it has launched a new website – www.onlincolnshire.org – to record the level of local interest. 

Urging people to make use of it, head of enterprise Justin Brown said: “Less than five minutes of your time could help make a big difference.” 

For those with internet access, it is simply a case of visiting the website and clicking ‘register your interest’. 

“If you are interested in registering but do not have access to the internet, you can also register your interest in other ways,” Justin added. 

“You can log onto www.onlincolnshire.org free of charge on a Public Network Computer at your local library, or just call the council’s customer service centre on 01522 782066 and an adviser will complete the form on your behalf.” 

Justin said that the rapid growth of the internet meant that broadband connections were becoming increasingly important in everyday life. 

However, parts of the county still dependent on slow dial-up connections via fixed phone lines were facing serious problems. 

“We have information which shows that much of the county can receive some broadband, but this doesn’t mean all users are getting a good service. The further you are away from a telephone exchange, the worse it is.” 

Describing just a few of the problems that arise, Justin said he knew of farmers struggling to fill in their online forms for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. 

“There are also local restaurants and shops trying – often unsuccessfully – to use dial-up connections for credit card transactions.” 

Businesses in areas with poor digital connections could even be at a disadvantage compared with competitors elsewhere. 

Justin explained: “Local companies can have difficulties marketing their services because they are unable to develop high quality interactive websites of the same calibre as their business rivals in other parts of the country.” 

About www.onlincolnshire.org 

·        It aims to bridge the “digital divide” and bring improved connections to Lincolnshire by working creatively with communities, businesses and suppliers.

 ·        The goal is to encourage suppliers to invest in next-generation broadband, with additional gap funding from the Government. 

·        The site helps to identify the main issues and register as much demand as possible. 

·        It also gives information to encourage communities to work together, whilst providing a wealth of internet-related news and tips. 

·        The website forms part of the Digital Connectivity Project, supported by public sector partners across Lincolnshire.