BT

by

Superfast Broadband Update 2012

altFor those of you that completed the Superfast Broadband Questionaire, here is an update:

Superfast Broadband in Surrey – the latest position 


Surrey County Council is following a competitive dialogue procurement process to select a private sector company to extend the roll-out of broadband in Surrey to those areas that are not commercially viable for the private sector to invest alone. The aim is to ensure that homes and businesses can access superfast broadband and make use of the benefits it offers, no matter where they are located in the county. 

Final proposals were received from two bidders in June. These provided detail on issues such as technology, deployment, speeds and cost. The proposals were evaluated against a set of criteria, which took into account both cost and quality to find the best solution for Surrey. 

On 24 July 2012 Surrey County Council’s Cabinet considered the proposals and took the decision to award the contract to the preferred bidder. 

Next Steps 

The project is now in a ten day standstill period, as required by the Public Contracts Regulations (2006). 

The contract will be finalised with the preferred bidder and signed during August. 

At this point the County Council will be in a position to provide further details around this ground breaking, superfast broadband contract for Surrey. A joint press release shall be issued with the Supplier and a bulletin will be circulated to provide information. 

Surrey County Council will work with the Supplier to develop the deployment schedule. Information on where and when superfast broadband will be deployed will be available in the Autumn. 


Superfast Broadband Project Team 
Surrey County Council 

Webmaster’s comment:

Dont forget to register your interest for BT to extend their BT Infinity coverage to Hambledon.  If more residents expressed their interest in BT Infinity the logging of this demand may give BT a greater impetus to roll out towards Hambledon.  So please use their BT Infinity availability checker and confirm your interest so we can build a weight of demand. Just go here:  http://www.superfast-openreach.co.uk/where-and-when/

by

Broadband in the slow lane in Hambledon

alt

We have heard about initiatives for Superfast Broadband but they are not going to change anything for a very long time.   Hambledon remains in the slow lane, with Broadband bandwidth crawling along under 2Mbs – amongst some of the worst performing areas in the country.    BT has an interim solution – the relatively new BT Infinity system that promises slightly better speed of broadband – by installing fibreoptic cables to street cabinets.  It is being rolled out slowly to many parts of the country – but BT is being selective about where it installs fibre.  Milford has got BT Infinity already but the cabinet serving Hydestile and North Hambledon (at Milford Station) is not scheduled for upgrade yet.  Maybe there are town planning delays to this, or more likely I am guessing it is driven by demand for broadband and potential catchment area.    So maybe if more residents expressed their interest in BT Infinity the logging of this demand may give BT a greater impetus to roll out towards Hambledon.  So please use their BT Infinity availability checker and confirm your interest so we can build a weight of demand. Just go here:  http://www.superfast-openreach.co.uk/where-and-when/

If 30 or so people register interest it may make the difference.

If you want to check your broadband speed – try this: http://www.speedtest.net/

 

by

English Heritage "Lists" Village Phone Box

ImageThe traditional red phone kiosk outside Hambledon Village Shop has been given a Grade II listing by English Heritage on the grounds of its architectural and historical significance.  The listing gives the box protection from removal at a time when British Telecom is reducing the number of public phone kiosks across the country.

 

In 2008 Stewart Payne asked English Heritage to consider listing the kiosk on behalf of Hambledon Parish Council, giving reasons why the kiosk should be protected.

English Heritage informed him this week that its criteria had been fulfilled and BT and Waverley Borough Council would be informed of its listing. Continue reading →