Superfast Broadband

[Russell Brown]

Yesterday, Northamptonshire County Council signed a contract with BT to roll out 'Superfast Broadband' across the county.

The aim is to get 90% of premises in Northamptonshire access to this new technology by March 2015.

National Government and Northamptonshire CC have both put over 4 million pounds into the project. Normally, broadband suppliers would not invest in installing Superfast broadband in smaller, rural communities because there's no profit in it for them. This investment by National and Local Government overcomes that problem.

No schedule of when Cliffe might benefit but here's hoping it's sooner rather than later.

More news here: http://superfastnorthamptonshire.net/ and thanks to Heather Smith (NCC) for updating the PC.

[clive ibotson]

The government will be able to tax it then.MARK MY WORDS!

[George Smid]

So in King's Cliffe case it is the "superfast bypass". There is a village in Rutland, which was forced to take the matter to their own hands: 

The community of 200 families in Lyddington, Rutland campaigned for years to try and get big telecoms companies to install a fibreoptic cable that allows faster internet speeds.

But although the expensive new technology was being fitted in towns and cities, rural communities missed out because there are not enough households to make a large profit.

Eventually the village became so frustrated they decided to raise the money and do it themselves. Eleven local people stumped up £3,000 each and the village can now boast of having the "fastest internet connection in the countryside".

For more information see the whole article at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/broadband/7586651/First-village-to-get-superfast-broadband.html

£33,000 is a lot of money from one's own pocket but is there any other way to connect to the "superfast bypass"?

[Russell Brown]

The 8 million+ payment to BT is designed to overcome just this situation. It's paying them to install Superfast Broadband into areas that they would otherwise never do.

There's no roll-out schedule yet; but lets' hope Cliffe isn't on the end of the list.

[adethomp]

Hi All

I'm relatively new to KC (moved in in December), has anyone seen the PDF relating to the BB - http://superfastnorthamptonshire.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/superfast-northamptonshire-newsletter-8-final.pdf regarding the parish council survey? Is it worth getting a hold of it and seeing if we can get any names on it to help push us up the pecking order?

[adethomp]

I've got the link to survey and a hard copy if anyones interested - https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NCCParishBroadbandSurvey

[George Smid]

I had a look at the survey but I could not find anything which would improve our chances to become connected to the superfast broadband. Have I missed something?

[adethomp]

From reading the newsletter and website, it looks like they are basing the demand for faster broadband on how many people fill it in per parish.

Quote from website:

"In the meantime, the best way that local communities can get involved is by undertaking a local demand survey. This helps to identify demand ‘hot spots’ and the intention is to share this information with potential suppliers to help strengthen the business case for investment. The County Council has developed a template survey which can be used by local communities. This can be completed on-line or by hard copy (please email bigidea@northamptonshire.gov.uk)

I have attached a hard copy of the Broadband Survey which can be used door to door along with an online link (https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NCCParishBroadbandSurvey) that can be used as part of the survey. Please ensure that everyone who answers the survey puts in the same “Parish Name” to ensure maximum effect of the surveys penetration"

[Russell Brown]

Sorry - I should have said this earlier but thanks to 'adethomp' for posting the link to the survey.

From what I read, the more people that complete the survey from any given parish, the higher up the priority list the parish goes.

So please everyone spend a few moments and go to:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NCCParishBroadbandSurvey

and lets drag Kingscliffe's broadband into the 21st century.

[Andy AWS]

Guys,
I work for virgin media, and can say that trying to get offnet to my property on kingsmead is like getting blood from a stone.

ordered bt to install new line mid feb, Saturday 23rd was the engineer visit no one turned up.
visit was re-sched to 11th march, had a call from bt day before saying no one would turn up, thought great lets have a long weekend, they turned up!.
was further re-sched to Friday 5th april, they cancelled it again.
was then re-sched to 22nd april, so I book time off work and get a text this morning saying its been put forward to the 1st may, almost 3 months after I placed the order, all I want is a phone line and broadband no matter what speed it is.

I can add that kings cliffe is not on the 2013 build list for fibre optic according to the Ofcom stats.

from what I hear there is not enough demand in the area for fibre optic, even if there was the exchange would not be able to handle nor would the exchange at wansford. it would have to come from Stamford Peterborough or corby.

you may see vtessee or mgm running ducts through the village making a right mess of the roads and pavements, I don't know what this is for, I have heard its for a building society link from Peterborough to corby, whether or not this is true I do not know.

has anyone had a successful line installed the past 2 months?
I know the new estate on wood road has.


Andrew Watson AWS

[clive ibotson]

I'm at oak lane and I had a hell of a job to get connected,I just kept phoning and in the end they sent an engineer from London to connect me,it took a couple of months of badgering.I had to use the wify at the club to do my work.

[Andy AWS]

really bad that they have no idea of the area, they built it.....
looks like im stuck speaking to india on mobiles and 3g on the t mobile dongle.
failing that you'll find an angry virgin media engineer using the phone box opposite the cross keys

[c.raitt]

I too am on Oak Lane and I am having a nightmare trying to get my line installed.  I ordered it on 27th Feb and still waiting for it to be connected.  I am on O2 and the signal is quite poor at best, so I often have to use speaker phone or go outside to get a good enough signal in order to hold a conversation with someone.  I have made numerous phone called to BT who keep fobbing me off with the excuse that engineering works on the line  still need to be completed.

I am hopeful to get it sorted next week, as it is getting beyond ridiculous now.  I sat in the house for 6 hours having waited for 3 weeks for the appointment, and nobody showed up.  they have said my line is activated, and I keep telling them that the line isn't even connected yet because I can see the wires dangling loose, blowing in the wind!

Hopefully after 8 weeks of waiting, I may get my line soon!

[Andy AWS]

bt say they are meant to be coming out on 1st may, though i'll believe it when I see it, try calling the number they've gave you. mine is active but not connected in the building.

is oak lane on the new estate?

heard they layed the cables for the area and didn't connect them in the cab.

your cab I believe for the new estate for connections is on corner of wood road and kings forest I think,

god knows where mine is probably dangling in the exchange,
could even be that there aint enough lines available for the area, the exchange is very small approx. 400sqft if that

[chopper66]

Just being chatting to a BT representative and we got on to broadband in this area. Appears Doddington is ready to go superfast, Morcott next and Wansford is ready to be investigated. Kings Cliffe is no where on the plan and the plan is for a number of years ahead. Why is Kings Cliffe so isolated?
Ian Cooke