As previously reported the current Labour administration in Telford & Wrekin Council declined to participate in the initial bid for super-fast broadband provision, claiming that it was “a waste of money”. Cajoled by the Conservative opposition and particularly led by my colleague Cllr. Eric Carter they have now changed tack and after fairly lengthy process have gained access to a total pot of £4 million in government funds, which they claim will be sufficient to provide 96% super-fast broadband coverage within the Borough by 2017.
As of last Friday, 14th November invitations to tender for the necessary work were closed. Tenders will have between three and four months to be received.
The process by which public funds are deployed is like many others these days, controlled by EU rules. These require that any investment results in a “step-change in broadband capability” such at least a doubling of line speed and also that there is no publicly funded competition with private provision.
This latter requirement is particular significant as it results in a three-way categorisation of the Borough as follows:
- Grey area: there is one existing provider, therefore not eligible for public funding.
- Black area: there are (or shortly will be) two private providers, therefore not eligible for public funding.
- White area: no existing provision and none likely within the next three years, therefore eligible for public funding.
Of 4,621 postcodes in Telford & Wrekin 1,101 are categorised “white” (23.83%).
Once tenders have been received and evaluated a winning bidder will be appointed to carry out the required infrastructure upgrade. There are two elements to this:
1. Exchange enablement
2. Cabinet upgrade
Of these the second stage remains problematic as it will be demand-led, meaning that the decision to upgrade a local cabinet (the junction box which your home or business is connected to) remains with the network wholesaler (BT Openreach in most cases). If the wholesaler does not believe there is a commercial basis to upgrade it won’t happen. In practice this means that the need to continue monitoring provision in your area remains and it may be a necessity to mobilise friends and neighbours to achieve the demand threshold.
