APPENDIX 10
Memorandum submitted by Mr J Field (S20)
My partner and I run a bed and breakfast business
in Hay-on-Wye. We have a website, and we and our customers use
email extensively for enquiries and bookings. It is our intention
to develop online booking, which in turn will need us to use the
internet more to keep our published room availability up-to-date.
We have two BT lines: one for voice and one
for modem and fax.
Broadband would be useful for us because:
1. It would enable much faster transmission
of information between us, our customers, and our ISP.
2. Being constantly online would also speed
up communications.
3. We could possibly do without one of the
two BT lines, resulting in further economy.
4. We would undoubtedly make more use of
the Net in many other ways, to help our business.
I am also an active member of our local Chamber
of Commerce, and seeking on their behalf a practical, economical
broadband solution to benefit its members. So far, such a solution
has not emerged on the Hay area.
I would be glad to assist your committee in
meeting its objectives. There is certainly a demand for broadband
in rural areas. There are several technologies that could be used
to provide it (BT says this). If we knew what could be provided,
when, and at what cost, we could make progress in quantifying
the demand.
Jon Field
19 February 2003
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