In December 2010, the Government published ‘Britain’s Superfast Broadband Future’ which sets out its vision for broadband in the UK, and how it will deliver it. The vision is to ensure that the UK has the best superfast broadband network in Europe by 2015.
To realise this vision, £530 million has been made available for upper tier local authorities to bid for to develop their own broadband infrastructure projects. This funding is administered by a team within the Department of Culture, Media and Sport called Broadband Delivery UK.
On 16 August 2011 BDUK announced that Nottinghamshire would be allocated £4.25 million to provide faster broadband speeds in rural areas. We will be able to draw down this funding on completion of an agreed Local Broadband Plan.
About a third of Nottinghamshire homes and businesses remain on the wrong side of the private sectors plans to roll-out superfast broadband and the urban/rural ‘digital divide’ is widening at an accelerated pace.
The great news is that this ‘final third’ are the premises that the Nottinghamshire Local Broadband Plan will target – as early as 2013 – subject to the Government ‘green light’ to proceed.
Better still, where fibre broadband is impractical, we’re hoping to start a number of test innovative solutions (such as satellite) from March 2012 onwards.
As the districts of Bassetlaw, Newark & Sherwood and Rushcliffe have the lowest levels of broadband speed availability, it is hoped that they will be targeted as phase one of the Local Broadband Plan. However, the technical detail of the solution ultimately adopted will be decided during the procurement process.
The breakdown of premises expected to benefit from the Nottinghamshire Plan are:
|
|
Total premises supported by the Plan
|
% of Notts premises
|
|
Ashfield
|
3,401
|
2.93
|
|
Bassetlaw
|
47,799
|
41.20
|
|
Broxtowe
|
1,9013
|
1.65
|
|
Gedling
|
3,974
|
3.43
|
|
Mansfield
|
11,031
|
9.51
|
|
Newark and Sherwood
|
32,010
|
27.59
|
|
Rushcliffe
|
13,223
|
11.40
|
|
Nottingham City
|
2,660
|
2.29
|
|
TOTAL
|
116,011
|
100.00
|
You can check your broadband speed on the following broadband speed checker website. Broadband speeds will vary according to the time of day, day of the week or other factors, so it's worth repeating the test to get the range of speeds you will receive.
The SamKnows UK broadband availability checker lets you find out what broadband is available in your area.
Find out about the Superfast fibre broadband roll out plans by the private sector in your area.
