Slashdot Mirror
UK To Offer PCs For £98, Subsidized Internet Connections
Sam writes "The UK government wants to offer low-cost computers as part of a 12-month trial during Race Online 2012. The scheme, which aims to reach out to the 9.2 million adults that are not yet online, 4 million of whom are considered socially and economically disadvantaged, aims to 'make the UK the first nation in the world where everyone can use the web.' Prices will start at £98 ($156.01) for a refurbished PC, with subsidized Internet connections available for as little as £9 ($14.33) a month or £18 ($28.65) for three months. The cheap computers will run open-source software (think Linux) and will include a flat-screen monitor, keyboard, mouse, dedicated telephone helpline, delivery, and even a warranty. The cheap Internet packages will use a mobile dongle to help people access the web."
What do you mean by "underused"? Not everyone has to be online every waking hour.
Example problem: The person needs to buy something.
Typical Slashdot reader solution: Go online, compare prices, find the cheapest, place an order.
Typical solution from someone in the target demographic: Go to local shops (possibly paying bus / or tube fare), look in a few shops, buy one, take it home.
End result: Slashdot reader pays somewhere between 10-50% less and has more free time.
The point of this is not that everyone should have Internet access because we think the Internet is cool, it's that being online can save you money. The number that they are quoting is an average annual saving of £537. But you only make that saving if you actually use the Internet. Just having access doesn't magically make you that much richer each year. Giving people computers and Internet access without the relevant training to go with them is just a waste of time.
I am TheRaven on Soylent News
It's a bit dishonest to try and factor in BT's line rental, because so few people, even the poorest in society don't have an existing line of some sort
Absolutely untrue. In my age group, almost no one has a landline because mobiles are much cheaper. Even relatively heavy users spend about £10 on prepay topups, while I pay about £2. Having a landline does not make economic sense. For poorer people, it's even more of a problem because they have to pay a large fee (£50 or so) to be connected in the first place. If they're moving house between different low-cost rented accommodation frequently, they don't bother with a landline. A mobile phone can be had very cheaply and, if you mainly need it for incoming calls (i.e. people who might offer you a job) costs next to nothing to operate.
this seems more targetted at the folks who simply aren't interested in the internet
No, it's targeted at people who can't afford the Internet. Read their documentation - they claim that being online saves an average of £537/year and that this is most important for people with a very low income, who typically can't afford the up-front capital cost of getting online. They are people who are often moving quite often to look for work, so can't afford any kind of Internet access that has an installation fee or requires a long contract in the same dwelling.
I am TheRaven on Soylent News
A lot of that is incorrect. You do lose certain benefits by entering employment (housing benefit and council tax benefit being the most significant two) but those on minimum wage will receive working tax credit and possibly child tax credit too.
I don't know how this varies around the country, but the school my children attend (which is in a deprived area) subsidise the school trips and eligibility for school dinners (and many other subsidies) relies not on employment status, but whether you receive a higher rate of tax credits.
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