Superfast Broadband Comes to Brockhill
Well, a part of Brockhill. A member has made a series of requests to get Brockhill on the map for Superfast Broadband. There has been a partial success story, and more people need to keep up the momentum by writing to their County Councillor and MP. The more they receive the more they get the message…..
How does Superfast Broadband happen? First the exchange has to be enabled, and both are in Redditch. Then cable has to be laid to the cabinets where your telephone line joins the system. It is this cabinet upgrade that enables things to happen. Another cabinet is placed alongside the existing one. There are predominantly three cabinets that affect Brockhill, numbers: 51, 52 & 53. Cabinet 53 will be the one to be upgraded. How can you find out which is your cabinet? Go to this link:
You can search using your telephone number.
What has been the main thrust of Brockhill’s argument to be treated as a priority? When Brockhill was built it was set up in separate phases. This meant that the cabinets that were installed only met the needs of that development; no expansion was taken into account for the cabinets, and a separate one was installed for each phase. What this has done, in effect, is to create a “village-like” scenario. Like villages, that comprise of approximately 200 dwellings, there is little chance of any rapid expansion, and it’s not commercially viable for telephone companies to upgrade the cabinets or lay the cables. Central government has provided funds to local authorities (in our case Worcestershire County Council) to deal with the village situations. So, this has been the main thrust of Brockhill’s argument. They have listened and are targeting one of the cabinets. To learn more about the scheme you can go to:
www.superfastworcestershire.com
When will it happen for cabinet 53? It will happen when…:
· The planning permission consultation has finished. That should take us into April, early May 2015. For some reason the cabinet has been deemed to be on private land.
· The box has been constructed to accept the fibre cabling. Hopefully in June 2015.
· The biggie is the cable laying, and by the look of things this may have already started at the bottom of Hewell Road near the railway bridge, but this has not been confirmed.
When will you know for certain? When it is all in place broadband providers will be touting for your business.
So, although one member has been canvassing on your behalf by contacting the local MP, the Parliamentary Management Team at BT, Superfastworcestershire and numerous county councillors, do your bit too, and get e-mailing or writing letters. Also, go to your existing Internet Service Provider and be a pest. Plus go to this link to register your interest:
http://www.superfast-openreach.co.uk/expression-gen.aspx
Get more answers here:
http://www.broadband.co.uk/guides/beginners/