Superfast Surrey - Superfast Broadband
News from Superfast Surrey
If your community or business is excluded from commercial superfast broadband rollout plans, the following advice may help you get access to a superfast connection.
As more and more smart technology and cloud applications are introduced and utilised in homes and businesses, the need for faster broadband speeds is gaining momentum. As FTTC is limited to up to 80 Mbps, the push is now on getting the country upgraded to gigabit speeds.
It is acknowledged that some intervention is required to ensure that premises excluded from commercial rollout plans, particularly those in rural areas, are not left behind. Several options are available to address this, including the government’s Gigabit Voucher Scheme.
Gigabit vouchers can be used by small businesses and local communities to off-set the installation cost of a gigabit-capable connection. Businesses can claim up to £2,500 against the cost of such a connection either individually or as part of a group project. Residents can also benefit from the scheme with a voucher worth £500 as part of a group project.
Rural communities can claim even more, with Rural Gigbit Vouchers offering up to £3,500 for small to mid-sized businesses and £1,500 for residents to support the cost of installation of new gigabit-capable connections.
Other options available to you include;
- Working with network providers on a community initiative;
- Investigating alternative wireless technologies;
- Investigating a privately leased line (likely to be expensive); and
- Once the Universal Service Obligation (USO) is implemented around March 2020, you have a right to request a broadband service of over 10 Mbps or more from your network service provider.
