Benefits of high speed internet: case study research
Building Digital UK commissioned research exploring the benefits of high speed internet for users connected via the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS).
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Providing public funds to boost digital infrastructure which supports build of networks is a key proposal of the ‘Industrial Strategy; Building a Britain fit for the future’ (HM Government, 2017). This infrastructure is necessary to enable access to future internet technologies including fibre optic and 5G. Though the necessity for internet access is widely recognised, there is little formal evidence of tangible benefits of gigabit capable internet (1000Mbps). This study aimed to create an evidence base for benefits of fibre internet. This is based on interactions with recipients of a grant scheme which provides vouchers to support the build cost of new infrastructure. The Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS), which ran from March 2018 to May 2020 was an intervention designed to increase the deployment of gigabit-capable connections as part of the Local Full Fibre Networks Programme (LFFN). Activities were designed to engage research participants and deliver findings on the benefits of fibre internet. The results include ethnographic insights about lived experiences afforded by high-speed internet, a map of the research landscape and proposals for future schemes to encourage fibre uptake. The activities also provided experiential knowledge useful for developing future projects for government social research, for example, learnings useful for relationship building.
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Published 28 July 2020Last updated 24 May 2022 + show all updates
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Changing lead organisation to BDUK
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First published.