Letter from Des Morgan (From Swindon Advertiser)

Letter from Des Morgan

12:20pm Tuesday 9th March 2010 in

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I WONDER if we have witnessed the first shots in an exercise designed to divert the blame for the demise of the Swindon wi fi project? Rikki Hunt is no shrinking violet even less a business virgin; as such he would have been well aware of the inherent dangers associated with aligning himself and his business venture to a single political party. Yet this is what he chose to do - no one forced his hand. According to Coun Bluh an approach was made by Mr Hunt to the council at which the wi fi proposal was discussed and because of its supposed appeal a decision was made to use special powers and authorise funding without reference to any other councillors, committees or even a courtesy call to the leader of the main opposition party. At this point Rikki Hunt engulfed his project in a political morass and I suggest that even a first year student of politics and human behaviour would be able to envisage the fall out which would follow.

Mr Hunt now derides the activities of the Labour Group and apes the words of Conservative leader Coun Bluh claiming that the wi fi project offers ‘social inclusion’ which is a simplistic phrase suggesting that it is the council’s responsibility to provide broadband facilities to the poor and indigent. What utter nonsense.

Highworth, despite assurances from Mr Hunt, is still not a wi fi hot spot - completely covered by Digital City’s communication mesh and offering a free 2mb service.

Mr Hunt suggests that problems with the technology is part of the reason the project is struggling - to which one is bound to ask what is new about the technology? Wi-fi isn’t new and putting boxes on lampposts isn’t new either, although it has to be said that Norwich City Council attributed the use of lamppost based wi fi boxes as part of the reason their project failed. This was well known to the council and should have been known to Digital City. The reality is more likely to be that the wi fi project isn’t quite as ‘groundbreaking’ as first intimated and the actual offer of broadband connectivity isn’t as competitive or interesting as first envisaged.

DES MORGAN

Caraway Drive

Swindon