Following on from our email in June we are pleased to report progress over the summer months on our community led project to significantly improve the local broadband service.

A detailed survey of our area (Wolverton, Axmansford, Baughurst, Pound Green, Stoney Heath, Browning Hill, Ewhurst, West Heath, Ramsdell, Charter Alley & Monk Sherborne) has been undertaken by broadband specialists who are experts in the range of technologies used to deliver rural broadband services. The conclusion of the specialist’s report is that the best way to deliver fast broadband into our area is by using a combination of wireless and fibre technologies.

You will be pleased to hear that your Council Tax is being well spent as this work has been supported by Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council, who kindly paid for the survey.  We continue to work closely with B&DBC and Hampshire County Council to ensure their support and to make use of any assistance they may be able to offer.

Moving on, the steering committee is now switching its focus to the design, specification and costing of a solution.

Not surprisingly there are significant costs involved in this project so we continue to look to local investors to assist with funding this local infrastructure scheme. By utilising a tax efficient Enterprise investment Scheme (EIS) we anticipate producing a good return. If you would like details and have not yet registered, please contact Chris Radford

Once we have made the move from the theoretical/investigation stage to the design/fund/build stage we anticipate things speeding up, we could have the first households connected by the year-end.

Registration is progressing well with 272 homes registered so far.

Remember that the greater the registered demand the better the economics, the quicker the roll-out.  Please encourage other members of your community to register their interest

http://www.baughurstsociety.org.uk/rural-broadband/

Please feel free to contact members of the steering group for further details (contact details below).

Kind regards,

Martin Slatford (Wolverton Common) 01635 298524

Chris Curtis (Pound Green) 01189 816070

Chris Radford (Stoney Heath) 01189 813526