Broadband Update - May 2020

OpenReach Community Fibre Partnership agreements to install ‘Fibre-to-the-Property’ (FTTP) will give residents and businesses the ability to choose a FTTP provider and level of service from 30Mbps to 300Mbps The contract cost is fully covered by the Government’s ‘Rural Gigabit Voucher Scheme’, and the service will start sometime in the next 12 months. If you are part of the schemes below you will already have been contacted by your local broadband co-ordinators. Elsewhere in the village, if you currently get less than 30Mbps you are encouraged to seek a similar scheme.

Upper Doctor’s Hill - FTTP Community Fibre Partnership scheme with Openreach – Fibre hanging off nearby poles and road closures ongoing so….hopefully completion imminent!

Lower Doctor’s Hill & nearby Newtown Road residents - FTTP Community Fibre Partnership scheme with Openreach signed and cost fully covered by rural gigabit Vouchers. Installation perhaps by end of 2020.

Gambledown - FTTP Community Fibre Partnership scheme with Openreach signed

West Wellow 3 Branches Lane/Pound Lane OR Newtown Road/A27 area – I have had some interest in putting together a scheme for these 2 areas – if you are happy for me to pass on your details to a possible scheme co-ordinator then do contact me again now!

The latest scheme costings were a third of the initial Openreach estimate and the lowest price per property seen locally, at £670 per property. Rural gigabit vouchers are now worth £1,500, residential and £3,500 per business (small sole traders count) and therefore will now easily cover scheme costs.

Check your cabinet connection and available options using http://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/adslchecker.welcome

Register your interest in a community fibre partnership on Openreach website https://www.openreach.com/fibre-broadband/community-fibre-partnerships/how-to-apply-for-a-cfp

Do email if you have any questions about setting up a local scheme. We now have community models that work.

Ursula, broadband@sherfieldenglish.org.uk

Broadband Update - March 2020

Full-fibre broadband is set to reach another part of the village Further to last year’s FTTP scheme for the top of Doctors Hill a second group of 30 properties at the bottom of Doctors Hill and in Newtown Road have accepted an offer from OpenReach to install ‘Fibre-to-the-Property’ (FTTP). The contract will give residents and businesses the ability to choose a FTTP provider and level of service from 30Mbps to 300Mbps, which is approximately 100 times faster than currently! The contract cost is fully covered by the Government’s ‘Rural Gigabit Voucher Scheme’, and the service will start sometime in the next 12 months. Another advantage of FTTP is that you no longer have to have, or pay for, a ‘landline’. Your existing phone number can be transferred to the much higher quality digital service. It is also noted that FTTP monthly costs have fallen dramatically in the last 12 months and it could now be cheaper to have an FTTP service than households currently pay for broadband.

If you are part of either of the above two schemes you will already have been contacted by your local broadband co-ordinators John, Sarah or Eric. Community thanks to all three for co-ordinating and sorting the paperwork.

Anyone else in the village who is currently getting a miserable broadband service is encouraged to seek a similar scheme. The political situation is improving, vouchers are larger and FTTP installation prices are rapidly decreasing as technology improves and demand increases.

The latest schemes final costing was a third of the initial Openreach estimate and the

lowest price per property seen locally. At £670 per property rural gigabit vouchers worth £1,500, residential and £3,500 per business (small sole traders count) will easily cover the scheme costs. Check your cabinet connection and available options using http://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/adslchecker.welcome Register your interest in a community fibre partnership on Openreach website https://www.openreach.com/fibre-broadband/community-fibrepartnerships/

Do email if you have any questions about setting up a local scheme. We now have community models that work. John & Ursula, broadband@sherfieldenglish.org.uk

Broadband Update - November 2019

Whiteparish exchange– A36, Salisbury end of village. FTTC available to some– contact your supplier to upgrade to a fibre service if you are within about 1.2 km of this cabinet.

Wellow 15 (5) – Outside The Hatchett. FTTC – some residents along A27 who were on Wellow 5 are now connected to the new FTTC Wellow 15 cabinet. Contact your supplier to upgrade to a fibre service if you are within about 1.2 km of this cabinet and think you may be connected to it.

Wellow 5 – Mill Lane – ‘behind’ Wellow 15 at Hatchett corner

I suggest you talk to your neighbours and look at using the rural Gigabit voucher scheme and request an FTTP scheme quote. Previously we have had reasonable quotes for your area and now vouchers rebates are higher – so try again.

West Wellow 3 - A27 south of The Hatchet, Church/Pound Lane.

I suggest you talk to your neighbours and look at using the rural Gigabit voucher scheme and request an FTTP scheme quote. Previously we have had reasonable quotes for your area and now government voucher contributions are higher so may cover the whole cost - it might be worth trying again.

Lockerley 4 –Doctor’s Hill, Newtown Road, The Banks, North Common, Gambledown, Carters Clay

Upper Doctor’s Hill – scheme co-ordinator Eric. The first community FTTP scheme now signed and waiting to be built. You will have already been directly contacted if you are part of this scheme.

Lower Doctor’s Hill (and Newtown road neighbours) – scheme co-ordinator John. Just waiting for final quote for small scheme of about 10 houses. Currently about £1800 per property which is just a little bit more than the rural gigabit vouchers will cover, hoping presence of neighbouring scheme might bring final costings down.

Newtown road (A27 end) - scheme co-ordinator Sarah. Initial quote received and again (about £1700 property) which is just a little bit more than the rural gigabit vouchers will cover- hoping presence of neighbouring scheme might bring final costings down.

Romsey exchange – Dunwood Manor. Talk to your neighbours! Group together in smallish clusters and look at rural Gigabit voucher scheme.

Check your cabinet connection and available options using http://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/adslchecker.welcome

Register your interest in a community fibre partnership on Openreach website https://www.openreach.com/fibre-broadband/community-fibre-partnerships/

Do email me if you have any questions about local schemes or would like to start your own! Previous updates can be found on village website.