The Riverine Grazier and Back Country Bulletin recently had a fascinating Letter to the Editor arrive in our office.

Pease read the following piece on the turning off of 3G, written by local Caroline Booth.

We want to hear from you! Please give us your thoughts and experiences by emailing [email protected]

Another wedge between city and country - Caroline Booth

Since the turning off of 3G, much of rural NSW has had another wedge placed in the divide between city and country.

Where people were once able to make phone calls or even be able to just send a simple text, they have nothing.

Left unable to run their business, stay connected with family members, or even make medical appointments.

And god forbid if it was needed to call emergency services! Communication has become an integral part of rural business.

The number of businesses that we deal with throughout our day in order to put dinner on the table for city folk that require them to call you back has dramatically increased.

You call to order something, make an appointment, etc., and they then tell you that there will be a call back.

When 3G was on, you could then get on with work and they would call you back on the mobile, but now you either have to wait around the house or just leave it until another day when you would be around.

People have become accustomed to being connected.

Recently, during a spate of fires caused by lightning, people were disconnected as they were in an area where they once could get phone service, but now there is nothing.

Communication was difficult, causing increased stress in an already stressful situation.

We have spent the last 10 years using 3G to help us get dinner ready for the nation.

Now, we have taken a step backwards. Is it fair that technology for rural Australia gets worse while it gets faster for more populated areas?

So if your breakfast, lunch, or dinner is late to the table, enjoy the high-speed downloads!