Kitz Forum
Announcements => News Articles => Topic started by: Bowdon on September 20, 2018, 09:41:46 AM
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https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2018/09/herefordshire-uk-to-expand-faster-broadband-via-fibre-and-wireless.html (https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2018/09/herefordshire-uk-to-expand-faster-broadband-via-fibre-and-wireless.html)
The state aid supported Fastershire project has announced that they’ve secured a further £5m of funding from the Government’s Rural Broadband Infrastructure Scheme (RBIS), which will be used to extend a new hybrid fixed wireless and fibre optic ultrafast broadband network to reach remote premises in 10 additional areas.
At present the existing Phase 1 and 2 contracts with Openreach (BT) and Gigaclear are already working toward extending local “superfast broadband” (30Mbps+) networks to reach 98% of premises in Herefordshire by around 2020 (here), which ise up from around 86% today. This is predominantly being delivered via a mix of superfast Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC) and ultrafast Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) technology.
By comparison today’s announcement involves a new deal with fixed wireless ISP Airband (they’ve also won contracts in Shropshire, Devon and Somerset etc.), which will be deploying their new Rural Optic (RO) technology to help “provide access to 10 dispersed clusters of premises spread across the county.” Apparently this new network will be able to deliver broadband speeds of 100Mbps+.
Councillor David Harlow said:
“This is another significant milestone for Herefordshire. Currently 85% of Herefordshire can already access superfast broadband as a result of phase 1 of the project and over the next two years, phase 2 will increase superfast coverage to 98%.
As more properties gain access to faster broadband the remaining hardest to reach premises will require increasingly more innovative and bespoke solutions like this. We are doing everything possible to extend access as far as we can, including through the use of EU funding currently available, either through this RDPE funding or our ERDF business grants.”
Lord Gardiner, Rural Affairs Minister, said:
“It is excellent to see more rural areas such as Herefordshire benefiting from connections to fast and reliable broadband. Rural areas should not be left behind in the connectivity slow lane, missing out on the opportunities high speed broadband can bring. Thousands of residents and businesses in Herefordshire will benefit.
The funding made available through the Rural Broadband Infrastructure Scheme champions our countryside communities and businesses by opening up access to broadband in some of the hardest-to-reach areas.”