High Speed Broadband Update – Orders Being Taken

General

Published on September 22nd, 2014 | by admin

The implementation of SuperFast Broadband in now in our village (HOORAY!). On the 19th of September 2014, the new fibre cabinets have been activated.

To see who can provide the best service and looking at the various cost please click on the link below to see who can provide the best service for your requirements:

http://www.broadbandchoice.co.uk/compare/broadband/cambridge/We are lucky enough to have two Broadband Champions in our villages. Here is a note from each of them on this momentous occasion of decent Broadband finally arriving:

FROM EDWINA:

Hi All,As the broadband champion for the Eversdens, I’d like to collate some information for you.

Yes, we have been connected to superfast broadband, with total completion of the work due at the end of this month. This is a great step and means most of us will see a difference in the speeds we are getting. Generally, premises within a 1km radius of the new cabinets can expect to be able to access speeds in excess of 24Mbps. Those who are further away, or live down long gravel driveways (as an example) will get slower speeds.

Residents and businesses will need to contact their existing or a new Internet Service Provider (ISP) if they wish to discuss options to get new fibre broadband services.

For more information see these webpages for Great Eversden and Little Eversden

Please note there is additional support for some segments of our community:

Business support – Destination Digital

Small businesses are being urged to make sure they don’t miss out on our Destination Digital programme to get faster connections and use digital technology.

Destination Digital offers small businesses broadband connection vouchers up to £3,000, 40% grants up to £4,000 for digital products and free advice and training on digital technology.

The programme has already helped more than 500 small businesses: awarding more than 350 grants for digital products and services and issuing over 30 connection vouchers to install superfast broadband, with free business advice and digital skills training for many more.

The programme only runs until March 2015 so eligible businesses should go to www.destinationdigital.info to get more information and apply direct.

Women and Broadband

Connecting Cambridgeshire has been awarded £75,000 from the Government’s Women and Broadband Challenge Fund to help women start or grow their own businesses by getting online with faster broadband.

The extra funding will provide practical help for up to 1500 women to improve their digital skills, grow or set up businesses, and gain support from women’s business networks. The six-month programme will be launched at a women’s business network event in late September.

If you have any specific queries about the broadband rollout you can contact me or contact@connectingcambridgeshire.co.uk

Many thanks,

Edwina

FROM JACK:

Superfast Broadband is now in our villages. I have made several checks and the reported speeds vary from about 31 MB (Buck’s Lane) down to 18 MB (Great Eversden) at the outlying edge of our villages. As Edwina states, it does vary due to the distance you are from the 2 new cabinets located at Harlton Road and High Street and the other cabinet located at Harlton Road and A603.So please go to the U-switch website and see which supplier will offer the best deal. see attached link.

I am currently with BT services and when I contacted them to see what offers there are for their “loyal customers” I was informed no incentives to stay with super fast broadband provided by BT. They would charge you approximately £25 per month. I checked with Plusnet and they will give an incentive for the first 6 months (£3.99) and then their normal price of £15.00 per month. This is based on an 18 month contract. They charge the same for telephone £15.95 per month. It does make sense to look around.

I have been informed that EE is offering a very good deal if you take out a “Sim only” contract:

Someone has just signed up to EE fibre broadband for free for a year. That was because they took out a new mobile contract (sim only – £10 per month). EE are offering the free fibre to new or existing mobile customers.

There are a lot of offers around and there will be more in the very near future since Connecting Cambridgeshire is rolling out on-time and in some instances earlier. Look around before you comit to your existing supplier of broadband.

kind regards

Jack McCollum
Broadband Champion for Little Eversden