Mind the connectivity gap: Vodafone and Good Things Foundation highlight digital divide
Five million people are currently missing out on 5G in the UK, creating a ‘connectivity gap’ that threatens to widen the existing digital divide between some rural or deprived communities and the rest of the country.
Helen Milner, CEO of Good Things Foundation, with Vodafone's 'mind the gap' street art.
Vodafone and Good Things Foundation, the UK’s leading digital inclusion charity, have been working together for a number of years to raise awareness of this digital divide and its impact on affected communities.
The organisations’ latest attempt to highlight the importance of digital connectivity and skills access saw them unveil a piece of 3D artwork in the heart of London. The street art uses optical illusions, such as forced perspective, to give the appearance of depth.
The mural visualises a wordplay on the famous London Underground phrase ‘mind the gap’, emphasising the divide in 5G coverage between major cities and the rest of the country.
This is something that Vodafone’s proposed merger with Three UK will help close, by delivering nationwide 5G Standalone (SA) coverage to more than 99% of the UK population.
The combined business will invest £11 billion in the UK across 10 years, creating one of Europe’s most advanced 5G networks and delivering up to £5 billion a year in economic benefit by 2030.
“Good Things Foundation is proud to work with our strategic partner Vodafone to help raise awareness of the connectivity gap and tackle digital exclusion through our National Digital Inclusion Network. Together, we can help fix the digital divide for good.”
Tackling the digital divide has long been at the heart of Vodafone’s business. This is epitomised by the company’s everyone.connected initiative, which aims to help four million people and businesses cross the digital divide by 2025, through the:
donation of connectivity and tech;
provision of affordable and accessible services; and
upskilling of businesses and communities.
This work is done in partnership with organisations such as Good Things Foundation, The Trussell Trust, Barnardo’s and the NSPCC, among others.