Getting ready for new street cabinets (but not in our part of the world)
Compiled by Joh Reynolds
Openreach contractors are surveying and marking out sites for new street cabinets. This means checking the stats for BT duct runs, electric cables, gas, water, sewer and cable TV, while looking out for conservation areas, listed buildings and any other factors that could affect the siting.
This acticitiy is a positive sign that the fibre broadband roll-out really is coming to Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Some areas may have to wait a bit longer than others for better broadband – most of south Cambridgeshire won't be connected until 2015 – but without the intervention of the Connecting Cambridgeshire programme many would not get it at all.
‘My area’ pages launched
The launch of new ‘my area’ pages on the Connecting Cambridgeshire website with an A-Z list of 267 areas across the county is helping people find out ‘where and when’ they can expect to get superfast broadband before the end of 2015.
Thousands of people have been prompted to visit the website to check their area pages and to register for regular updates. This is just the start and we hope the ‘my area’ pages will prove to be a valuable resource as the programme progresses and we are able to add more details making each area page ‘bespoke’.
We’re on our way
You may have seen recent media coverage of the Public Accounts Committee report raising concerns about the nationwide roll-out of rural broadband. Please be assured that the issues raised do not apply to Connecting Cambridgeshire.
The Connecting Cambridgeshire broadband roll-out remains on track with work already underway to install some of the first new street cabinets so that they are ready to go ‘live with fibre’ before the end of this year.
Have a heart
Our Broadband Champions are keeping a close eye on preparations for new street cabinets and sharing photos and reports of Openreach engineers at work.
Mel Bryan, Broadband Champion for Alconbury Weston, reports: “Have a heart for some of problems facing BT in installing fibre. I saw a BT engineer this afternoon with his head buried in a mass of wiring in our local BT Cabinet... he had to squat down on his knees and toes, supported by his tool bag, ALL DAY, because our cabinet is buried low in a hedge.
"Naturally I seized upon this opportunity to grill him on what he was doing… he was installing new, higher density (200 pairs) distribution frames with some skill and patience because there was no room in the cabinet.”
Helpful feedback
Thank you to Broadband Champions and Members who have provided useful feedback about the ‘my area’ pages. This is helping us to make sure that the information is as clear as possible. We are replying to individual queries where we can and updating the pages as needed.
Connecting Cambridgeshire is aiming to deliver superfast broadband to as many premises as possible, however we are aware that many people are struggling with broadband speeds under 2Mbps so it is important to reassure them that they will be
able to get better broadband speeds of at least 2Mbps – and in many cases much faster.
Some areas show broad timescales because they are covered by more than one phase. Work to connect premises will progress incrementally from the first date. We will be regularly updating the information, which will become more precise as the roll-out progresses.
Internet Service Providers
Connecting Cambridgeshire is working with ISPs to ensure that broadband services will be available from as wide a range of providers as possible. We will be sharing Cambridgeshire’s uniquely high demand registration levels with the ISPs to demonstrate the opportunities for broadband take-up and drive market competition to offer affordable services.
Data anomalies
The Connecting Cambridgeshire intervention area is based on mapping of future levels of basic and superfast broadband provision expected by 2015, as shown on the black, white, grey (BWG) Next Generation Access (NGA) maps on the website. State aid rules means the project can only intervene in ‘white’ areas that would not otherwise be able to get superfast broadband.
As you can appreciate with a countywide project, it is not always easy to get accurate, detailed information which means we get an occasional anomaly in the data. It is always helpful to have a local view to help us to update our information, so please let us know if you come across anything on the BWG map or the ‘my area’ pages, which does not fit with your knowledge of broadband provision in your area.
Events
Connecting Cambridgeshire is working closely with Cambridgeshire ACRE to ensure the most rural areas of the county can make the most of better broadband connectivity.
We recently had a stall at the organisation’s AGM, which was attended by 70 representatives of Parish Councils and community groups, who were interested to look up their parishes using the ‘my area’ pages. Many parishes have asked for electronic copies of the Connecting Cambridgeshire Guide to share with their members. We can supply short updates for local newsletters and websites on request.
Programme Director Noelle Godfrey has given a number of presentations recently to explain the work of the Connecting Cambridgeshire programme to Members, parish and community groups.
Please contact the Connecting Cambridgeshire programme team if you know of an event it would be useful for us to attend.The Connecting Cambridgeshire programme team can be contacted by email at contact@connectingcambridgeshire.co.uk if you have any further queries.