Commenting on the report from the British Educational Suppliers Association (Besa), **Ewan Taylor-Gibson, broadband expert at Uswitch.com, comments:** “For once, schoolchildren have a legitimate alternative to the ‘dog ate my homework’ excuse.
“In this day and age, ‘the internet isn’t working’ should not even be an issue – particularly when broadband speeds of more than 100Mbps are now available in some homes – and yet ‘not spots’ are clearly hampering learning in schools.
“As teachers and pupils become more reliant on technology at school and for homework, never has the need for speed been so important. More must be done to stop poor connectivity disrupting lesson plans and learning.
“Britain’s broadband blackspots, particularly in rural areas, must be hauled into the fast lane, quick smart, if we are to make sure some schools don’t fall behind.
“A quarter of schoolchildren now submit their homework by email or via an online system set up by their schools – and those figures are only going to rise.
“But our speed test data shows that not everyone is getting a decent service. Some UK streets are still experiencing average download speeds of less than 1Mbps. Poor connectivity can severely affect local businesses, impact house prices as well as hampering children’s education, so it’s crucial the government keeps its eye on the ball when it comes to improving UK broadband infrastructure across the board.”
Ailene Barr
Phone: 020 3872 5610
Email: ailene.barr@uswitch.com
Twitter: @uswitchPR
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