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[Bowdon]

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2018/09/virgin-media-uks-fttp-rural-community-broadband-build-is-live.html

Some 640 premises in Chilbolton and Goodworth Clatford can now access Virgin Media’s Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) based ultrafast broadband and TV network. These are among the first to benefit from a new community driven scheme that is extending the service to cover 12 villages in the Test and Dun Valleys of Hampshire.

As we first reported last year, the unique opportunity that local residents have stems from the fact that Virgin Media already owns an old cable duct along the Test Way, which is being used as a springboard to provide a “genuine all-fibre network” via their latest “full fibre” style FTTP infrastructure. Note: This still makes use of DOCSIS transmissions thanks to Radio Radio Frequency over Glass (RFoG) technology.

Local residents had previously been campaigning to get Virgin Media’s cable ISP into the area for several years (TVNeed4Speed) and happily work to build the new network finally began in March 2018. The operator was able to confirm that the deployment would be commercially viable by ensuring that local residents and businesses were fully committed.

The villages that stand to benefit by completion at the end of 2019 include: Houghton, West Tytherley, Broughton, Wherwell, Winterslow, Firsdown, Michelmersh, Timsbury, Kings Somborne, Goodworth Clatford, Chilbolton and Stockbridge. Overall Virgin Media is expected to fund the bulk of construction costs (estimates suggest it could cost about £20m) and this is being complemented by support from locals.

    Key Criteria

    * 30% or more of the residents (1,200 premises) had to register their interest;

    * More than 1,000 local residents had to commit to take broadband services from Virgin Media. This was achieved with a 38% sign-up average across the valley, with some villages reaching 78%.