Not completely true ... Mrs Thatcher threw away our lead, claiming the future was Ponzi schemes (disguised as "fintech"). It has taken years to recover.
Great video Tess. As a Brit currently residing in Texas it’s interesting to see how far ahead the U.K. is in many areas. Still panic when they take my credit card away and then bring it back with a paper slip to sign!
Hope Texas is treating you well. I lived there for many years but I don’t think I could move back! It’s like somebody pushed the way back machine button.
I’m 33 years old and the signing a bit of paper thing was gone before I got my first bank account iv never had to do it, I’m amazed that still happens in America and wasn’t left firmly in the 90s, you’d think apples home country would take Apple Pay 😂
I forgot about that card signture process ... last time I was in the US I refused to hand my card over and went with the waiter/waitress to wherever they were going ...
That isn't what was meant. She is talking about the most commonly used marketing terminology which in affect influences the majority. Don't take everything too literally or you'll end up sounding more American
@@KnightmareUSA Coming from the East End of London, I'm not sure how I can sound American at all. And, if most of the UK population go around searching the broadband, as opposed to searching the internet, then I stand corrected.
@jpw6893 ...I think the US has way more secrets militarily than the UK...just what you see alone is way more advanced, whereas in the UK technology and infrastructure are way more advanced than in the US...
You keep saying we here but your clearly American. Stop trying to take credit for something you had no input in. Love how you have to read your points but maybe that’s a lack of American memory. Also you don’t have to pay a license it’s a scam so just don’t pay it and enjoy free tv.
The UK doesn't tend to brag about military capability in the same way the US does. The quantity of kit is lower and the ultra expensive moon-shot type kit doesn't exist (Zumwalts, for example). But things like military drones for ISTAR... the military has been on that for long enough that 10,000 of them were taken out of stores and sent to Ukraine. Which may explain why the FPV drones Ukraine uses can get so close to armoured vehicles before the jamming affect them.
One of the reasons we had a relatively good broadband network early is suprisingly canals! The planners realised there was an existing cross country infrastructure that would allow for the laying of cable without disruption of streets. If you ever go for a walk along a canal, theres a good chance you are standing on top of an optical fibre mainline.
Nice video! Not a shock to most Brits - quite a shock to many Americans who visit... All of my American colleagues pay over $100 pcm for their phone plans, I pay less than £20 pcm (sim only) for a better plan. PDQ machines (eg where they bring the credit card reader to your table in a restaurant) hugely reduce fraud vs the old way (still very common in some parts of the US) where they take your credit card away from you.
One thing that surprises me is...when i watch some videos clips on UA-cam about American police pulling people over and asking for registration documents and insurance etc..!...here in the UK the police know if the cars are legal on the road just by looking ar the number plate (on board camera)...and even who owns the car!...they just ask for your licence here in the UK..!..
And it is not compulsory to carry your driver licence in the UK. If for any reason the police require to see it, they will give you a "producer" which is a document outlining what you are obliged to produce at a police station by a certain date.
LOL... The width of our roads isn't an indicator of our technology. Personally, my intuition tells me the more established country with the stronger educational system would be more advanced (especially if it was the birthplace of both the Industrial Revolution and so much of the tech that the modern world uses!) It seems the US feels they are more advanced because they're taught (mostly incorrectly) that they invented everything. Props to those who step up and do the research though - there's plenty for them to feel proud of! 🙂
The American's genuinely are taught from birth that America is the best. It comes as a shock to them when they realise that the rest of the world was in the industrial revolution while most Americans were LITERALLY in the stone age. The spinning jenny (far from the first machine in the industrial revolution) is 6 years older than America.
Just pointing out the dissonance between perception and reality! Americans feel they're more advanced because they've been told that since the day they were born. Not a bad thing to have a strong sense of empowerment, but without the chops and unity to back it up, it's failing them.
UK here. I haven't used money for almost 20 years. I don't need it. I carry some for tipping, but in UK tipping is voluntary. I choose to tip when I get excellent service. To be fair we are a small country so wifi and fast broadband is much easier than in a huge country.
I live on the outskirts of small village in Yorkshire. Last year I got full fibre to my house (installed by CityFibre) and signed up with a fairly new UK provider, Yayzi Broadband. I have a package with 2.3GB download speed, 1GB upload (asymmetric) for £50 per month. It knocks my socks off - well not literally, maybe that will be included in a future upgrade.
I live in a small village on the outskirts of York. I see no sign of us getting fibre to the home for years to come. Until 4 years ago we had 1Mbps ADSL. Now we have 40Mbps VDSL. Most of the villages around York are in the same position.
@@steveunderwood3683 I had actually given up hope of getting fibre to the home and so had gone for StarLink by SpaceX which gave me 200 - 350 Mbps which was actually very good and very reliable, but £85 per month. I obviously switched when to my surprise FFTH became available. I wouldn't hesitate in recommending StarLink - very easy setup and install with a great App.
@@steveunderwood3683 I live on the outskirts of a small village in Somerset - still don't have fibre to the home (ie FTTP) even though the village does, and don't know if we will ever get it. On a good day get about 20Mbps download but only just 1Mbps upload, and unfortunately it is NOT very reliable... Currently investigating Tesla Starlink as otherwise I can't work from home for certain clients (they demand faster and more reliable broadband for remote working)...
@@steveunderwood3683 Before I got FTTH, I got StarLink satellite internet by SpaceX. It gave me 200 - 300 Mbps and was reliable, easy to install and has a very good App to control it. It's available in the north of England and the speeds continue to improve as they add ever more satellites in low earth orbit. Latency is about 20 ms
UK has lots of roadside cameras that record the movement of road traffic, linked to the national database, anyone who commits a road traffic offence (eg speeding, not wearing a seatbelt or using a hand held mobile phone whilst driving) will soon get a letter in the post and a fine and penalty points. Point make prizes, 12 points = a court appearance and usually short term disqualification from driving. Driving in a bus lane, or stopping a vehicle at a bus stop just gets a fine, no points. (Subscribed)
Throughout my lifetime I'd always thought America were way ahead of other countries as regards everything , but after watching many videos like this one I now know this is not the case. One thing that I found staggering was that the U.S.A does not have the equivalent of our M.O.T test for all road vehicles that is required here , apparently they just have a visual inspection ! How many death traps must be on their highways ? I'm certain many people must die or be seriously injured every year due to brake failures and other serious mechanical problems that would have been picked up on an M.O.T . Great video as always. Keep up the great work.
@@HipOverFifty The M.O.T (Ministry of Transport) road-worthiness test is a very sensible thing and has been around for ages. I remember going with my dad to get our family car MOT tested when I was a little boy and that was over 50 years ago.
America is a failed state in terms of the integrity of its judiciary, its political system, its healthcare 'system', its habit of incarcerating people mainly based on their colour. Now it is brewing up a fascist rebellion to overthrow the remnants of its democracy with the backing of a corrupt supreme court. ANY American who thinks America is a good role model for anyone needs to get their head examined.
dave. I never ever thought that the U.S. was way ahead of us and that they invented everything. In fact Britain has invented more than any other country in the world although the U.S. tell everyone that they invented things that they did not. The British are taught to be modest but the Americans blow their own trumpet.
without sounding like a luddite there is a bit of a push back against the rush to get rid of cash in my area. Many of the independent shops have signs stating they are happy to accept cash, with a use it or lose it slogan. The government is pushing towards digital banking
@@HipOverFifty interesting. I live in a gentrified area, aside from the sourdough almost all of the shops (and we don't have any chains aside from a small boots and a little co op are all totally committed to keeping cash, even those that during lockdown went cashless have now reverted. I share their fear of a government digital bank
@@lorrainemoynehan6791 Could it possibly be that they are trying to dodge paying tax? Maybe that's how gentrified areas become and remain wealthy aka gentrified.
@@gdok6088 it's not fully gentrified. Still have nail bars, bookies and charity shops, but no empty shops, plus an opticians who has motor bikes in the window and sells coffee. Employment is not brilliant here so gentrification can't really be complete as we can't attract wealthy workers and there's a bit of a reputation that's well past it's sell by date but it scares some. The area isn't wealthy, although some people are comfortable, but there's a distinct lack of chains. They are a curse. They are not committed to an area, they just move on
Going totally cashless will see us truly cattle trucked! Government/Business's will know all your business and whereabouts. It need to be resisted at all costs! Now sits back and waits for the inevitable comment of....."what have you got to hide"?
I take comfort in the fact that in Apple Wallet your card # is re-jigged each time, but I do resist having my data known. I take a perverse delight in using an old skool Boots and Nectar card that's not linked to me to get discounts ;)
Hi Tess, thanks for another one of your very interesting videos. There is another "Free" TV access method in UK called Freesat (satellite) so instead of a TV Antenna (Aerial in UK) you have a satellite dish on your property, it has to be setup to point to the correct satellite and you need a decoder box that plugs into your TV so there are some setup costs but no contract fees or subscriptions :) Cheers Chris
You don't necessarily need a decoder box. There are many TVs that are Freesat/Freeview compatible. So you can plug the satellite directly into the TV. If you have a sky satellite that's not being used, just use that cable.
NFC isn't just used for payments, e.g. you can share a youtube link between phones using the youtube app. It doesn't need network connectivity because it is just sending data (e.g. your card info) to the device you are tapping on, the same as if you are tapping a contactless card.
Also - The UK’s digital government is considered to be one of the most advanced in the world. According to the 2023 edition of the OECD Digital Government Index (DGI), the UK ranks third out of 38 countries, behind South Korea and Denmark. The top 10 performers in the 2023 Digital Government Index are Korea, Denmark, United Kingdom, Norway, Australia, Estonia, Colombia, Ireland, France and Canada.
But don't forget, if you plug some US 110v tech equipment into our power sockets it's likely to go bang on our 240v supply. This happened to one American I talked to. However, you will find our electric kettles boil much quicker.
To be pedantic, the internet and broadband are not the same thing in the UK (or anywhere else for that matter). The internet is the worldwide interconnection of millions of computers and its infrastructure. Broadband is a method of accessing the internet via copper or fiber optic cable. We too live in rural England, a village with a dozen or so street lights about 7 miles from Oxford and we have had gigabyte fiber optic connection to every house since 2012. It always measures above 600Mb/s in both directions and can hit 1Gb in the middle of the night.
The west coast of Scotland may not have many people living there but has great internet access.Many IT startups were started from a cottage in the middle of nowhere.
I live in a small village in Cheshire. I have full fibre directly into the home so great upload etc. On the phone front I have a sim only deal with EE and get 20GB a month data for £10/month. Its getting hard to use cash and I expect it to be gone in the next year or two. I bank completely through my banks app. Free TV yes but I pay for most top level sports via streaming. Now the most controversial AI. Deepmind was a UK company and led the field in AI but the Tory government allowed its sale to Google which must have been one of the most short sighted moves in the history of tech. The country has an awful policy of allowing anything of worth to be sold.
I have two mobile phones with Virgin (now O2). Both are unlimited voice and text and have 50Gb data allowance. Both of them come under a single bill of £16 per month, though admittedly just changed to £18.70 after the April price rise. so call it £19 pcm.
No, we do NOT call the internet “Broadband”, this was termed for the high speed network infrastructure that replaced our old telephone system dial-up modem systems which were by comparison more like “Narrow Band”, though nobody referred to the old Baud Rate systems in that way.
Mobile contracts in the UK are cheap as chips, I pay £5 a month for unlimited phones calls and text but not data, which I don't use anyway unless I'm at home... It's certainly a lot cheaper than using your land line.
I live in the UK. I don't use money because I have my phone and all my bank cards are on my phone. If I needed £20 in cash and there were no ATMs nearby, I could borrow it from you and pay the £20 into your account immediately.
@@kenvoysey8222 No because they also have their chip and pin bank card,which can be used at any ATM or retailer. Taxis,buses and even buskers can be paid with the card. Cash is very rarely needed.
BACS was introduced in the UK in 1968. It allowed you to pay people by cheque regardless as to their bank. Cheques were sent for clearance via BACS and the funds were paid into the recipient's bank account. A wonderful system. This has been developed over time into electronic funds transfers, meaning we can log into our bank acocunts and tranfer funds to anyone's bank account easily. It simplifies things greatly....However, it has led to a "digital divide where older people just cannot handle the technology....
I’m in a small village and I have similar WiFi speed and even my local ice cream van takes Apple Pay and contactless cards, some giant chains in the USA still don’t have it 😂
Sadly the US today is behaving like britain was just after the Second World War, it’s out of date and slow to change. My whole life I have loved and visited the us on a regular basis, when I was a child it was exciting and like travelling into the future - now it distinctly feels like going back in time - and coming from London that’s something I NEVER thought I’d find myself saying , but that’s the reality of it today.
@@HipOverFifty The retrograde steps on women's rights in the US is mind bogglingly awful. And it's bordering on sick when in some states there is a near-total ban with abortion not being allowed for any reason, even for very strong medical reasons, either maternal or foetal.
What about checks/cheques? It's hard to believe how widespread the use of "checks" is in the USA. And I've even had my card imprint taken fairly recently to make a payment.
Interesting to hear this from an outsider's perspective. I'm from the UK, and have always thought that we were fairly average when it came to tech. I remember being in France in 2002, and a guy there was shocked that we didn't have chip & PIN at that time. Obviously, that has since come in, but France were there before us. In my current job (IT support), I remember talking to a colleague in the Netherlands who had Gb internet before we did. As far as I'm aware, the likes of South Korea and Japan have had that for ages. From what you're saying, the US really is behind the times with a lot of stuff. I know you briefly mentioned the television licence. Without it, it is illegal to watch any broadcast television. Therefore, freeview is, at least £153 a year. I must admit, I'm not familiar with how the US works when it comes to television. Do you have to buy a licence and subscribe to services?
Thanks for sharing your experience. I did mention that having access to freeview offsets having to pay for the TV license! When I first moved here I thought it was just to watch BBC but now it appears they want you to sign up no matter what. No you don't need a license in the US. It's strictly a la carte. Most subscribe to cable but I'm sure there's some who are using an antenna or dish to receive live TV. You don't need to pay for that other than the cost to install it yourself.
Great video. It always perplexed me how far 'behind' the US was in the way banking is carried out. It's pretty much caught up now, but for years we had chip and pin, albeit not contactless, but the US didn't seem to have anything like it. Another item related to tech is the excellence of the Government websites. I hadn't realised that this was a particular UK strength until recently. It is really easy to find out information, fill in forms etc, relating to any government department on the '.gov.uk' websites. Apparently the UK system is being copied in many countries around the world now.
@@HipOverFiftyyou only have to look at the tax system and the fact that all Americans have to file their own taxes, whereas in the UK and most of the world, its done at source by the employer, using software. America has a huge tax preparation business which only helps big business and not the individual. It’s such a same that big business always gets its way and it’s always to the detriment of the US people.
@@adamprint644 I have a different view of the tax system - it's not that big a deal to file your own taxes in the US as I've done for years. It's easy to file electronically. I think because each state has slightly different tax rules, it makes it a bit messier. If you're self employed or own your business in either country you're obligated to have some knowledge of what your tax situation is and file accordingly.
The use of cash is increasing substantially, many smaller businesses are asking for cash payments. And no it's nothing to do with 'not paying tax' it's to do with not wanting to lose 3% of every card payment to the banks.
But it costs considerable time and money to deal with cash:- counting it up/giving change/hauling it to the bank branch daily and it can be untraceably stolen by others including employees!
It's a shame that the old AT&T Long Lines system couldn't have been modernised and upgraded to cope as demand increased as the required building and connectivity infrastructure was already there. Maybe by using more modern modulation schemes could have helped reduce the overall number of sites needed to provide coverage...It was a really brilliant idea.
The entire 'Silicon Fen' phenomenon is a complete myth which has been rolling for about 30 years now. The silicon valley area around San Jose, no other country in the world has any tech region which gets anywhere near this. The US silicon valley still absolutely dominates.
Okay-UK is an island. The USA is Vast. You drive 10 hours and you are still in Texas. We have so many rural areas in the US. Also, Buckinghamshire has broad ban problems often...not sure about other counties.
Hmmm!....your right the UK is an island, remarkable observation clearly you're very astute. Australia is also an island what's your point? .... Texas is vast? why drive for ten hours, get on a plane or a train it's less tiring. Rural areas are ok if you want to avoid other people but in America it won't reduce your chances of being shot in the head!....I tend to find that Buckingham's broadband problems tend to go away....when you pay your bill...or change providers. In conclusion I wanted to make it clear that the majority of Americans live in or around cities so the provision of superfast broadband could be made by a determined company who cared about the needs of it's customers. As you may have heard in the vlog the British government planned to build the infrastructure for superfast broadband because it saw an opportunity for it's people to develop and grow. America on the other hand thinks of profit and greed first and it's people second.
@@robk5159i don’t think you get the point of what the original commenter was saying. Building infrastructure for a tiny island is very different to building one which covers the rural areas of a significantly larger area. You mentioned Australia and yet failed to make the connection that it too has terrible internet infrastructure. I live in Buckinghamshire and the comment is correct regarding internet issues. Regarding the fibre expansion, I have a lot more to add about the uk government but it’s not relevant to the original comment anyway.
Why thankyou for questioning both my observational skills and my intellect you are a master of deductive reasoning. Pointing out that Britain is a "tiny" island also came as a revelation, it would carry little epistemic value than to point out that "tiny" is a relative term as it was once the largest Empire in human history, has the 6th largest global economy currently, let's not mention the number of Nobel laureates or inventions that have benefited the planet. Pointing out that a country is an island is axiomatic and contributes nothing to the point being made and nothing to do with infrastructure. Regardless of your political affiliation the government of the day planned ahead and foresaw the benefits of broadband, it's what government is for, to benefit it's citizens. That you have a broadband problem in Buckingham is a question for your provider it is not a national problem. Finally, when you decide to "jump in" to defend a damsel in distress consider first if you are armed with the required intellectual firepower it may save you some embarrassment.
The UK no longer has a mass market manufacturing base. It does have high end engineering (Formula 1, Rocket Motors, Satellites, Jet Engines etc). It excels in computing, pharmaceuticals and all sciences. It's not some technological backwater, that's for sure.
AI in the UK is particularly connected with products and services in the financial sector, the USA is dominant in 'core' products that provide the foundations for a wide range of services. AI is such a large area of research that there are specific centres of excellence around the world, depending on the application. 'Uncertainty aware' AI solutions are the focus of quite a lot of current research. This approach combines all the knowledge accumulated by scientists and engineers, expressed as mathematical equations, with the actual behaviour of a system that is usually interpreted by an expert. The lower frequency 5G standard technologies were developed in British universities, particularly Southampton, and later adopted by Huawei. As the frequency increases, the signal behaves more, and more, like a beam of light. It is possible to transmit more information as the frequency increases, but the signal starts to become very directional, so more masts are required and they need to be closer together.
Yep not just technology but infrastructure as well. Our firms are slightly less profit orientated than in the US and want to spread technology because that's what they do. Also our governments are more interested in expanding public services than in the US.
I use my Mobile Phone connection to the Internet and just tether it to my laptop. I still get fast speeds. Also considering our SIZE?....I thought we had put that myth to bed when we had our Empire! lol Come on as they say size isn't that important lol
None of it is fit for purpose, because all of it is launched upon the public too early, well before it is perfected, to recoup development and production costs. The most obvious example of this being the simple fact that one cannot even get a mobile phone signal in many parts of the UK countyside.
I lived & worked in Boston. Mass for twelve months a couple of decades ago, Tess, & whilst the landscapes & seasonal changes were remarkable, I couldn't have resided in the US any longer - reflected both in technologies, & attitude; for a nation with a "Number one economy", it has very little else that appeals; & as to your assertion that a Mobile phone is an essential - a device we cannot live without....er. no - I find that notion rather unfortunate; you sound like some desperate adolescent. The "Surprise" ? Not really - Charles Babbage & Alan Turing ring any bells ? 🤨
Just googled that. They're talking about GDP if you siphon off London's contribution so it's only one factor. Somehow I don't see how that can be true, cause Mississippi is pretty far down on the list of states that are thriving.
That sounds good, until you realise the biggest block to computer development in the UK was the security services (official secrets act) in the 40's through the 70's, not sure how much it delayed the US (probably not as much) for details check out Bletchley Park.
@@adriangoodrich4306 Oh really? Proving you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about and clearly no idea about the UK Defence Artificial Intelligence Strategy who's vision is that, in terms of AI, we will be the world’s most effective, efficient, trusted and influential Defence organisation
@@andrewgrillet5835 Computers have advanced because engineers and designers kept pushing boundaries. And built on the knowledge of prior generations. From mechanical designs courtesy of Charles Babbage to electromechanical machines like the Harvard Mark 1 to the first tube machines like ENIAC to transistorized machines to ICs and the codification of Moore's Law. I suggest you read a book on computer history, i can tell you this for free, Alan Turing was not playing video games 😉
Especially if you do not pay tax on your cash income from plumbing/building/hairdressing/painting/landscaping oh and women's beauty treatments like the well off b***h next door to me who works illegally in her house next door to me 6 days a week 0800-1800 with cars coming and going every half hour! I payed taxes all my life! She is at no. 71, HMRC!
Dont really go with the digital banking, Cash is still king and should be - once it goes 100% digital banking, every citizen will be controlled as they are in places far east of us. So I would recommend revolt against monetary digitalisation.
The TV license fee is £169.50 which = £3.26 per week and for many that is per household, not per person. Although I'm not happy with the BBC in some areas it does provide some superb dramas & documentaries, excellent coverage of major national events and adds a lot of cultural value - one example being the annual BBC Proms held at the Royal Albert Hall.
It depends on the area of the UK you're referencing. Wales for instance, doesn't even have a sewage system or electricity. You cannot judge a nation by the people who live in it and Wales is a delight despite the poverty and filth.
Not sure what’s so surprising, the UK has been ahead of the game since Babbage.
Not completely true ... Mrs Thatcher threw away our lead, claiming the future was Ponzi schemes (disguised as "fintech"). It has taken years to recover.
Collosus, 1st programmable computer too
Pretty much from the 1700's
Great video Tess. As a Brit currently residing in Texas it’s interesting to see how far ahead the U.K. is in many areas. Still panic when they take my credit card away and then bring it back with a paper slip to sign!
Hope Texas is treating you well. I lived there for many years but I don’t think I could move back! It’s like somebody pushed the way back machine button.
Couldn’t agree more. It’s a great place but I’m looking forward to returning to the U.K. in September.
I’m 33 years old and the signing a bit of paper thing was gone before I got my first bank account iv never had to do it, I’m amazed that still happens in America and wasn’t left firmly in the 90s, you’d think apples home country would take Apple Pay 😂
I forgot about that card signture process ... last time I was in the US I refused to hand my card over and went with the waiter/waitress to wherever they were going ...
The chip and pin started in 2004 in the UK . Been here a while now. Really good idea .
It’s a shame fish and cushion failed
Chip and Pin was widely used in France from the late 90s, including handsets brought to the table to pay in restaurants.
@@dequ-1 Before that, the first was the "Carte Bancaire" in 1986
1:02 No, we call it the Internet.
We don't say broadband if we are referring to the Internet. Broadband is the means by which we receive the Internet!
That isn't what was meant. She is talking about the most commonly used marketing terminology which in affect influences the majority. Don't take everything too literally or you'll end up sounding more American
@@KnightmareUSA Coming from the East End of London, I'm not sure how I can sound American at all.
And, if most of the UK population go around searching the broadband, as opposed to searching the internet, then I stand corrected.
The UK is way ahead on technology for its citizens , whereas the US is way ahead on technology for its military...🤷♂️
Military wise we don't know because its secret.
@jpw6893 ...I think the US has way more secrets militarily than the UK...just what you see alone is way more advanced, whereas in the UK technology and infrastructure are way more advanced than in the US...
@glastonbury4304 you don't know though. All secrets but don't under-estimate the UK
You keep saying we here but your clearly American. Stop trying to take credit for something you had no input in. Love how you have to read your points but maybe that’s a lack of American memory. Also you don’t have to pay a license it’s a scam so just don’t pay it and enjoy free tv.
The UK doesn't tend to brag about military capability in the same way the US does. The quantity of kit is lower and the ultra expensive moon-shot type kit doesn't exist (Zumwalts, for example). But things like military drones for ISTAR... the military has been on that for long enough that 10,000 of them were taken out of stores and sent to Ukraine. Which may explain why the FPV drones Ukraine uses can get so close to armoured vehicles before the jamming affect them.
One of the reasons we had a relatively good broadband network early is suprisingly canals! The planners realised there was an existing cross country infrastructure that would allow for the laying of cable without disruption of streets. If you ever go for a walk along a canal, theres a good chance you are standing on top of an optical fibre mainline.
Cool! did not know that 😎
Railway lines and power lines have also been used like this. One of the first major ISPs in the UK was a power company.
Nice video!
Not a shock to most Brits - quite a shock to many Americans who visit...
All of my American colleagues pay over $100 pcm for their phone plans, I pay less than £20 pcm (sim only) for a better plan.
PDQ machines (eg where they bring the credit card reader to your table in a restaurant) hugely reduce fraud vs the old way (still very common in some parts of the US) where they take your credit card away from you.
Thanks :) I used to hate it when they took the card away!
One thing that surprises me is...when i watch some videos clips on UA-cam about American police pulling people over and asking for registration documents and insurance etc..!...here in the UK the police know if the cars are legal on the road just by looking ar the number plate (on board camera)...and even who owns the car!...they just ask for your licence here in the UK..!..
In the US, we always live in fear of seeing that police car coming up behind us!
And it is not compulsory to carry your driver licence in the UK.
If for any reason the police require to see it, they will give you a "producer" which is a document outlining what you are obliged to produce at a police station by a certain date.
If the registration is in the car, doesn't it make theft much easier?
@@rosemarielee7775 No!
Well-researched and clear presentation. Good one. Robert, uk.
Appreciate that 🙏
LOL... The width of our roads isn't an indicator of our technology.
Personally, my intuition tells me the more established country with the stronger educational system would be more advanced (especially if it was the birthplace of both the Industrial Revolution and so much of the tech that the modern world uses!)
It seems the US feels they are more advanced because they're taught (mostly incorrectly) that they invented everything. Props to those who step up and do the research though - there's plenty for them to feel proud of! 🙂
The American's genuinely are taught from birth that America is the best. It comes as a shock to them when they realise that the rest of the world was in the industrial revolution while most Americans were LITERALLY in the stone age. The spinning jenny (far from the first machine in the industrial revolution) is 6 years older than America.
Just pointing out the dissonance between perception and reality!
Americans feel they're more advanced because they've been told that since the day they were born. Not a bad thing to have a strong sense of empowerment, but without the chops and unity to back it up, it's failing them.
UK here. I haven't used money for almost 20 years. I don't need it. I carry some for tipping, but in UK tipping is voluntary. I choose to tip when I get excellent service. To be fair we are a small country so wifi and fast broadband is much easier than in a huge country.
Good stuff!
If you watch live broadcasts in the UK you need to pay the TV license and that means on any device by the way.
yup
I live on the outskirts of small village in Yorkshire. Last year I got full fibre to my house (installed by CityFibre) and signed up with a fairly new UK provider, Yayzi Broadband. I have a package with 2.3GB download speed, 1GB upload (asymmetric) for £50 per month. It knocks my socks off - well not literally, maybe that will be included in a future upgrade.
I live in a small village on the outskirts of York. I see no sign of us getting fibre to the home for years to come. Until 4 years ago we had 1Mbps ADSL. Now we have 40Mbps VDSL. Most of the villages around York are in the same position.
@@steveunderwood3683 I had actually given up hope of getting fibre to the home and so had gone for StarLink by SpaceX which gave me 200 - 350 Mbps which was actually very good and very reliable, but £85 per month. I obviously switched when to my surprise FFTH became available. I wouldn't hesitate in recommending StarLink - very easy setup and install with a great App.
@@steveunderwood3683 I live on the outskirts of a small village in Somerset - still don't have fibre to the home (ie FTTP) even though the village does, and don't know if we will ever get it. On a good day get about 20Mbps download but only just 1Mbps upload, and unfortunately it is NOT very reliable... Currently investigating Tesla Starlink as otherwise I can't work from home for certain clients (they demand faster and more reliable broadband for remote working)...
@@steveunderwood3683 Before I got FTTH, I got StarLink satellite internet by SpaceX. It gave me 200 - 300 Mbps and was reliable, easy to install and has a very good App to control it. It's available in the north of England and the speeds continue to improve as they add ever more satellites in low earth orbit. Latency is about 20 ms
I think you are getting your bytes and bits mixed up. Pretty sure there are no residential packages with the speeds quoted.
Didn’t know about the 5000 tech companies in our silicon valley with 23 having Unicorn status so thanks for that info.
UK has lots of roadside cameras that record the movement of road traffic, linked to the national database, anyone who commits a road traffic offence (eg speeding, not wearing a seatbelt or using a hand held mobile phone whilst driving) will soon get a letter in the post and a fine and penalty points. Point make prizes, 12 points = a court appearance and usually short term disqualification from driving. Driving in a bus lane, or stopping a vehicle at a bus stop just gets a fine, no points. (Subscribed)
That's a good one... I just drove down the M25 and M4 and every 10 minutes my sat nav would say "speed camera ahead"
Throughout my lifetime I'd always thought America were way ahead of other countries as regards everything , but after watching many videos like this one I now know this is not the case. One thing that I found staggering was that the U.S.A does not have the equivalent of our M.O.T test for all road vehicles that is required here , apparently they just have a visual inspection ! How many death traps must be on their highways ? I'm certain many people must die or be seriously injured every year due to brake failures and other serious mechanical problems that would have been picked up on an M.O.T . Great video as always. Keep up the great work.
actually, every state has a different rule as to inspection for vehicles …some states do some states don’t
Thanks for the info , I thought it was an entire U.S.A thing.
@@HipOverFifty The M.O.T (Ministry of Transport) road-worthiness test is a very sensible thing and has been around for ages. I remember going with my dad to get our family car MOT tested when I was a little boy and that was over 50 years ago.
America is a failed state in terms of the integrity of its judiciary, its political system, its healthcare 'system', its habit of incarcerating people mainly based on their colour. Now it is brewing up a fascist rebellion to overthrow the remnants of its democracy with the backing of a corrupt supreme court. ANY American who thinks America is a good role model for anyone needs to get their head examined.
dave. I never ever thought that the U.S. was way ahead of us and that they invented everything. In fact Britain has invented more than any other country in the world although the U.S. tell everyone that they invented things that they did not. The British are taught to be modest but the Americans blow their own trumpet.
A place which is isolated in Britain is still only a few hours at most from a major city. Some areas of the USA are a few days away from a major city.
without sounding like a luddite there is a bit of a push back against the rush to get rid of cash in my area. Many of the independent shops have signs stating they are happy to accept cash, with a use it or lose it slogan. The government is pushing towards digital banking
Interesting I’ve not seen that. I only see contactless only in this neck of the woods.
@@HipOverFifty interesting. I live in a gentrified area, aside from the sourdough almost all of the shops (and we don't have any chains aside from a small boots and a little co op are all totally committed to keeping cash, even those that during lockdown went cashless have now reverted. I share their fear of a government digital bank
@@lorrainemoynehan6791 Could it possibly be that they are trying to dodge paying tax? Maybe that's how gentrified areas become and remain wealthy aka gentrified.
@@gdok6088 it's not fully gentrified. Still have nail bars, bookies and charity shops, but no empty shops, plus an opticians who has motor bikes in the window and sells coffee. Employment is not brilliant here so gentrification can't really be complete as we can't attract wealthy workers and there's a bit of a reputation that's well past it's sell by date but it scares some. The area isn't wealthy, although some people are comfortable, but there's a distinct lack of chains. They are a curse. They are not committed to an area, they just move on
Going totally cashless will see us truly cattle trucked! Government/Business's will know all your business and whereabouts.
It need to be resisted at all costs!
Now sits back and waits for the inevitable comment of....."what have you got to hide"?
I take comfort in the fact that in Apple Wallet your card # is re-jigged each time, but I do resist having my data known. I take a perverse delight in using an old skool Boots and Nectar card that's not linked to me to get discounts ;)
dont be paranoid , so what you bought a pair of jeans then had a bacon buttie
Hi Tess, thanks for another one of your very interesting videos. There is another "Free" TV access method in UK called Freesat (satellite) so instead of a TV Antenna (Aerial in UK) you have a satellite dish on your property, it has to be setup to point to the correct satellite and you need a decoder box that plugs into your TV so there are some setup costs but no contract fees or subscriptions :) Cheers Chris
Great tip!
You don't necessarily need a decoder box. There are many TVs that are Freesat/Freeview compatible. So you can plug the satellite directly into the TV. If you have a sky satellite that's not being used, just use that cable.
NFC isn't just used for payments, e.g. you can share a youtube link between phones using the youtube app. It doesn't need network connectivity because it is just sending data (e.g. your card info) to the device you are tapping on, the same as if you are tapping a contactless card.
Still seems a bit weird to me though that it doesn't even use Bluetooth!
Also - The UK’s digital government is considered to be one of the most advanced in the world. According to the 2023 edition of the OECD Digital Government Index (DGI), the UK ranks third out of 38 countries, behind South Korea and Denmark. The top 10 performers in the 2023 Digital Government Index are Korea, Denmark, United Kingdom, Norway, Australia, Estonia, Colombia, Ireland, France and Canada.
👍🏻
It is a disaster that we are losing the ability to pay by cash. Sick of tech nerds not thinking about the consequences.
we only just got FTTC fibre and full FTTP fibre, there are still dead zones with just ADSL still
But don't forget, if you plug some US 110v tech equipment into our power sockets it's likely to go bang on our 240v supply. This happened to one American I talked to. However, you will find our electric kettles boil much quicker.
To be pedantic, the internet and broadband are not the same thing in the UK (or anywhere else for that matter). The internet is the worldwide interconnection of millions of computers and its infrastructure. Broadband is a method of accessing the internet via copper or fiber optic cable.
We too live in rural England, a village with a dozen or so street lights about 7 miles from Oxford and we have had gigabyte fiber optic connection to every house since 2012. It always measures above 600Mb/s in both directions and can hit 1Gb in the middle of the night.
The west coast of Scotland may not have many people living there but has great internet access.Many IT startups were started from a cottage in the middle of nowhere.
Good to know. I've been to the east and middle bit but the west is on my list. Nice place you have there!
Also Freesat, can often be a better range of options and reception, especially in rural areas.
I live in a small village in Cheshire. I have full fibre directly into the home so great upload etc. On the phone front I have a sim only deal with EE and get 20GB a month data for £10/month. Its getting hard to use cash and I expect it to be gone in the next year or two. I bank completely through my banks app. Free TV yes but I pay for most top level sports via streaming. Now the most controversial AI. Deepmind was a UK company and led the field in AI but the Tory government allowed its sale to Google which must have been one of the most short sighted moves in the history of tech. The country has an awful policy of allowing anything of worth to be sold.
Thanks for sharing, I always love to hear what others are doing. Interesting about Deepmind!
I have two mobile phones with Virgin (now O2). Both are unlimited voice and text and have 50Gb data allowance. Both of them come under a single bill of £16 per month, though admittedly just changed to £18.70 after the April price rise. so call it £19 pcm.
Thanks for sharing. I know there’s some cheaper deals out there I just like the fact that I could roam outside the UK with mine.
Another interesting topic. It is comforting to know we are up there with the big boys.
Despite the cries of some, the UK is one of the big boys.
No, we do NOT call the internet “Broadband”, this was termed for the high speed network infrastructure that replaced our old telephone system dial-up modem systems which were by comparison more like “Narrow Band”, though nobody referred to the old Baud Rate systems in that way.
Mobile contracts in the UK are cheap as chips, I pay £5 a month for unlimited phones calls and text but not data, which I don't use anyway unless I'm at home... It's certainly a lot cheaper than using your land line.
There's a reason we're ahead .we invented 99% of everything that matters
In your dreams.
@@garyiow8482 Oh, the Industrial Revolution of the early 1800s ? What year do we live in now ? Let me think ... oohh... 2024 ? Yeah, that 2024.
@@garyiow8482 Dear, oh dear ....
Really interesting. Some of that I knew but the scale is particularly striking.
Thanks!
I live in the UK. I don't use money because I have my phone and all my bank cards are on my phone. If I needed £20 in cash and there were no ATMs nearby, I could borrow it from you and pay the £20 into your account immediately.
I never carry cash… I’ve got everything on my phone too. It does come in handy for some things ha ha
Just hope you never lose your phone or it breaks as then your stuffed.
@@kenvoysey8222 How would you manage if you lost your card? You would be just as stuffed.
@@kenvoysey8222 No because they also have their chip and pin bank card,which can be used at any ATM or retailer. Taxis,buses and even buskers can be paid with the card. Cash is very rarely needed.
Good luck with that you're walking into a digital trap, you'll find out.
BACS was introduced in the UK in 1968. It allowed you to pay people by cheque regardless as to their bank. Cheques were sent for clearance via BACS and the funds were paid into the recipient's bank account. A wonderful system. This has been developed over time into electronic funds transfers, meaning we can log into our bank acocunts and tranfer funds to anyone's bank account easily. It simplifies things greatly....However, it has led to a "digital divide where older people just cannot handle the technology....
How old are the older people you refer to? I'm 78 -- haven't written a cheque in years. Some people just won't walk with the times.
I am 76, and I write computer programs, not sure where you get the "older people" idea from.
I’m in a small village and I have similar WiFi speed and even my local ice cream van takes Apple Pay and contactless cards, some giant chains in the USA still don’t have it 😂
Nice!
Personal opinion, British runs as competition pricing, US seems to run on prices fixing.
Sadly the US today is behaving like britain was just after the Second World War, it’s out of date and slow to change. My whole life I have loved and visited the us on a regular basis, when I was a child it was exciting and like travelling into the future - now it distinctly feels like going back in time - and coming from London that’s something I NEVER thought I’d find myself saying , but that’s the reality of it today.
Yup They’re definitely going back in time when it comes to women’s rights, etc. as well. Shame isn’t it.
@@HipOverFifty The retrograde steps on women's rights in the US is mind bogglingly awful. And it's bordering on sick when in some states there is a near-total ban with abortion not being allowed for any reason, even for very strong medical reasons, either maternal or foetal.
What about checks/cheques? It's hard to believe how widespread the use of "checks" is in the USA. And I've even had my card imprint taken fairly recently to make a payment.
Yes I do believe checks in the US is like cash here... still hanging on
Interesting to hear this from an outsider's perspective. I'm from the UK, and have always thought that we were fairly average when it came to tech. I remember being in France in 2002, and a guy there was shocked that we didn't have chip & PIN at that time. Obviously, that has since come in, but France were there before us. In my current job (IT support), I remember talking to a colleague in the Netherlands who had Gb internet before we did. As far as I'm aware, the likes of South Korea and Japan have had that for ages. From what you're saying, the US really is behind the times with a lot of stuff.
I know you briefly mentioned the television licence. Without it, it is illegal to watch any broadcast television. Therefore, freeview is, at least £153 a year. I must admit, I'm not familiar with how the US works when it comes to television. Do you have to buy a licence and subscribe to services?
Thanks for sharing your experience. I did mention that having access to freeview offsets having to pay for the TV license! When I first moved here I thought it was just to watch BBC but now it appears they want you to sign up no matter what.
No you don't need a license in the US. It's strictly a la carte. Most subscribe to cable but I'm sure there's some who are using an antenna or dish to receive live TV. You don't need to pay for that other than the cost to install it yourself.
Absolutely great ❤
Thanks hun
Great video. It always perplexed me how far 'behind' the US was in the way banking is carried out. It's pretty much caught up now, but for years we had chip and pin, albeit not contactless, but the US didn't seem to have anything like it.
Another item related to tech is the excellence of the Government websites. I hadn't realised that this was a particular UK strength until recently. It is really easy to find out information, fill in forms etc, relating to any government department on the '.gov.uk' websites. Apparently the UK system is being copied in many countries around the world now.
thank you and that’s a great point I think Gov.uk is truly outstanding! all the info you need in one place very well laid out.
@@HipOverFiftyyou only have to look at the tax system and the fact that all Americans have to file their own taxes, whereas in the UK and most of the world, its done at source by the employer, using software. America has a huge tax preparation business which only helps big business and not the individual. It’s such a same that big business always gets its way and it’s always to the detriment of the US people.
@@adamprint644 I have a different view of the tax system - it's not that big a deal to file your own taxes in the US as I've done for years. It's easy to file electronically. I think because each state has slightly different tax rules, it makes it a bit messier. If you're self employed or own your business in either country you're obligated to have some knowledge of what your tax situation is and file accordingly.
One good video.
The use of cash is increasing substantially, many smaller businesses are asking for cash payments. And no it's nothing to do with 'not paying tax' it's to do with not wanting to lose 3% of every card payment to the banks.
But it costs considerable time and money to deal with cash:- counting it up/giving change/hauling it to the bank branch daily and it can be untraceably stolen by others including employees!
It would cost America 20-30 times more to increase tech throughout all its states running cables for instance. It would create jobs thats for sure
The US seems pretty good at putting roads across the country though
It's a shame that the old AT&T Long Lines system couldn't have been modernised and upgraded to cope as demand increased as the required building and connectivity infrastructure was already there. Maybe by using more modern modulation schemes could have helped reduce the overall number of sites needed to provide coverage...It was a really brilliant idea.
The entire 'Silicon Fen' phenomenon is a complete myth which has been rolling for about 30 years now. The silicon valley area around San Jose, no other country in the world has any tech region which gets anywhere near this. The US silicon valley still absolutely dominates.
America is an agricultural country with some cities. The cities have good services. The rural areas are really quite backward in many respects.
Not suprising at all, i couldn't believe having to sign for stuff when paying with a card in Florida, 3rd world country.
We call them mobile phones in UK.
Because they are mobile! Trust the USA to invent a different name for the same thing!
@@willswomble7274 quite
Okay-UK is an island. The USA is Vast. You drive 10 hours and you are still in Texas. We have so many rural areas in the US. Also, Buckinghamshire has broad ban problems often...not sure about other counties.
Hmmm!....your right the UK is an island, remarkable observation clearly you're very astute. Australia is also an island what's your point? .... Texas is vast? why drive for ten hours, get on a plane or a train it's less tiring. Rural areas are ok if you want to avoid other people but in America it won't reduce your chances of being shot in the head!....I tend to find that Buckingham's broadband problems tend to go away....when you pay your bill...or change providers. In conclusion I wanted to make it clear that the majority of Americans live in or around cities so the provision of superfast broadband could be made by a determined company who cared about the needs of it's customers. As you may have heard in the vlog the British government planned to build the infrastructure for superfast broadband because it saw an opportunity for it's people to develop and grow. America on the other hand thinks of profit and greed first and it's people second.
@@robk5159 Why can't people speak without or comment without being demeaning.
Thank you. Have a good day.
Perhaps if you remind yourself of the maxim " Speaking (or typing) without thinking is like shooting without aiming! Have a nice day y'all.
@@robk5159i don’t think you get the point of what the original commenter was saying. Building infrastructure for a tiny island is very different to building one which covers the rural areas of a significantly larger area. You mentioned Australia and yet failed to make the connection that it too has terrible internet infrastructure. I live in Buckinghamshire and the comment is correct regarding internet issues. Regarding the fibre expansion, I have a lot more to add about the uk government but it’s not relevant to the original comment anyway.
Why thankyou for questioning both my observational skills and my intellect you are a master of deductive reasoning. Pointing out that Britain is a "tiny" island also came as a revelation, it would carry little epistemic value than to point out that "tiny" is a relative term as it was once the largest Empire in human history, has the 6th largest global economy currently, let's not mention the number of Nobel laureates or inventions that have benefited the planet. Pointing out that a country is an island is axiomatic and contributes nothing to the point being made and nothing to do with infrastructure. Regardless of your political affiliation the government of the day planned ahead and foresaw the benefits of broadband, it's what government is for, to benefit it's citizens. That you have a broadband problem in Buckingham is a question for your provider it is not a national problem. Finally, when you decide to "jump in" to defend a damsel in distress consider first if you are armed with the required intellectual firepower it may save you some embarrassment.
TY.
The UK no longer has a mass market manufacturing base. It does have high end engineering (Formula 1, Rocket Motors, Satellites, Jet Engines etc). It excels in computing, pharmaceuticals and all sciences. It's not some technological backwater, that's for sure.
Agreed!
with Freeview tv you still need a tv licence
She did say that. Paraphrasing, " Freeview makes up for paying the TV licence fee".
@@johnp8131nice to see I wasn't the only one listening 😂
Freesat too!
We are a small country compared to the USA so we are going to have some what better connectivity then them and cheaper to.
I think you meant O2
AI in the UK is particularly connected with products and services in the financial sector, the USA is dominant in 'core' products that provide the foundations for a wide range of services. AI is such a large area of research that there are specific centres of excellence around the world, depending on the application.
'Uncertainty aware' AI solutions are the focus of quite a lot of current research. This approach combines all the knowledge accumulated by scientists and engineers, expressed as mathematical equations, with the actual behaviour of a system that is usually interpreted by an expert.
The lower frequency 5G standard technologies were developed in British universities, particularly Southampton, and later adopted by Huawei. As the frequency increases, the signal behaves more, and more, like a beam of light. It is possible to transmit more information as the frequency increases, but the signal starts to become very directional, so more masts are required and they need to be closer together.
The UK is also a core Ai..."deepmind"...is British and in the UK...(Also going global...I know Google bought it but it's UK based)
@@222inverter The revenue goes to Google, US companies control virtually all the platforms, UK companies are mostly applications based.
@@glynnwright1699 yes..true!..👍
You obviously know what you’re talking about …I just googled it!
@@HipOverFifty I am the CEO of a UK/USA AI company, but I keep quite about it :).
Yep not just technology but infrastructure as well. Our firms are slightly less profit orientated than in the US and want to spread technology because that's what they do. Also our governments are more interested in expanding public services than in the US.
Sounds sensible, I think there is a greater mandate to do what's best for all here.
I use my Mobile Phone connection to the Internet and just tether it to my laptop. I still get fast speeds. Also considering our SIZE?....I thought we had put that myth to bed when we had our Empire! lol
Come on as they say size isn't that important lol
Britain invents, America imitates.
Poorly in many instances including 'NeverTheSameColor' TV system versus 'PAL'.
Frankly i would like to go back in time and get rid of all this technology crap.
None of it is fit for purpose, because all of it is launched upon the public too early, well before it is perfected, to recoup development and production costs. The most obvious example of this being the simple fact that one cannot even get a mobile phone signal in many parts of the UK countyside.
I lived & worked in Boston. Mass for twelve months a couple of decades ago, Tess, & whilst the landscapes & seasonal changes were remarkable, I couldn't have resided in the US any longer - reflected both in technologies, & attitude; for a nation with a "Number one economy", it has very little else that appeals; & as to your assertion that a Mobile phone is an essential - a device we cannot live without....er. no - I find that notion rather unfortunate; you sound like some desperate adolescent. The "Surprise" ? Not really - Charles Babbage & Alan Turing ring any bells ? 🤨
Watching loads of these types of video I get the impression USA is more of a third world country.
What do you think about that popular meme where the uk is poorer than Mississippi? Do you think that is true?
Just googled that. They're talking about GDP if you siphon off London's contribution so it's only one factor. Somehow I don't see how that can be true, cause Mississippi is pretty far down on the list of states that are thriving.
Mobile provider "O3" 😂😂😂😂
Perhaps this is a VIP upgrade for those in the know 😂
Are you making fun of my dyslexia? ;)
I live in rural Lincolnshire and I get a min 150gb/s
Of course the UK and US are top in AI technologies, purely because of the military applications of the technology.
That sounds good, until you realise the biggest block to computer development in the UK was the security services (official secrets act) in the 40's through the 70's, not sure how much it delayed the US (probably not as much) for details check out Bletchley Park.
As far as the UK goes, that is total garbage.
@@adriangoodrich4306 Oh really? Proving you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about and clearly no idea about the UK Defence Artificial Intelligence Strategy who's vision is that, in terms of AI, we will be the world’s most effective, efficient, trusted and influential Defence organisation
Gaming has always been a major driver of computer technology in the UK and the US. (Except that most US development is done offshore).
@@andrewgrillet5835 Computers have advanced because engineers and designers kept pushing boundaries. And built on the knowledge of prior generations. From mechanical designs courtesy of Charles Babbage to electromechanical machines like the Harvard Mark 1 to the first tube machines like ENIAC to transistorized machines to ICs and the codification of Moore's Law. I suggest you read a book on computer history, i can tell you this for free, Alan Turing was not playing video games 😉
We weigh heavy.
Still some communities where good mobile and or broadband is difficult. The promises made to gov't are well ahead of actual delivery
The reflection on your glasses is very disconcerting,
Why 'surprising'? Who's surprised?
Interesting vid, nice clickbait
Start using cash folks, you're walking into a trap.
Especially if you do not pay tax on your cash income from plumbing/building/hairdressing/painting/landscaping oh and women's beauty treatments like the well off b***h next door to me who works illegally in her house next door to me 6 days a week 0800-1800 with cars coming and going every half hour! I payed taxes all my life! She is at no. 71, HMRC!
Not very tech savvy if you can't turn the volume up so that I hear it. Stopped wasting my time after a minute.
Dont really go with the digital banking, Cash is still king and should be - once it goes 100% digital banking, every citizen will be controlled as they are in places far east of us. So I would recommend revolt against monetary digitalisation.
another paranoid conspiracist lol move to usa
Don't forget you have to pay your TV tax here in the UK
The TV license fee is £169.50 which = £3.26 per week and for many that is per household, not per person. Although I'm not happy with the BBC in some areas it does provide some superb dramas & documentaries, excellent coverage of major national events and adds a lot of cultural value - one example being the annual BBC Proms held at the Royal Albert Hall.
She mentioned that.
It depends on the area of the UK you're referencing. Wales for instance, doesn't even have a sewage system or electricity. You cannot judge a nation by the people who live in it and Wales is a delight despite the poverty and filth.
Very much a structured crab bucket. We help each other to help ourselves. (cf wikipedia.org/wiki/Crab_mentality;-)