Due to the fact that we have only 927 BT subscribers in the 01997 area we will not qualify for BT's "Race to Infinity". But please do still vote on the BT site at http://www.racetoinfinity.bt.com/ (you should also see it below) as if we get 696 votes BT will engage with us to see how broadband services can be improved.
MSP Support
We have received the following letters related to improved broadband access in the Highlands. If you would like the Community Council to lobby on your behalf for better broadband access or speed, please contact us or vote on BT's Race to Infinity site shown above.
Letter of 2 September 210 from Peter Peacock MSP, Rhoda Grant MSP and David Stewart MSP
"I just wanted to update you on a couple of things from last week on the broadband front.
I met with the new Head of Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) and some of his colleagues in London last week. My purpose in the visit was firstly to try and argue that the Highlands and Islands got one of the pilots that they are about to fund for broadband expansion, for all the reasons that we understand, and secondly, to argue that public policy on delivery needed to have a community empowerment, an 'outside in' bit to the strategy, as well as the normal big procurement type approach which might stop short of many of our communities. I also was seeking to encourage them to support open access to previously and publicly funded developments, i.e., Pathfinder in all areas, other than the Western Isles. With specific reference to the Western Isles, I illustrated part of the problem we have in improving services is because of limitations in the backhaur capacity, such as the radio link across the Minch.
You may be aware that HIE is preparing a bid for funds to improve broadband and I have encouraged them to include the Minch link, for example. I have also encouraged them to have an element in their bid which will support more communities in their efforts to connect to improved backhaul.
To my genuine delight, the BDUK people are already well down the road on their thinking on the community side of things, connecting from 'outside' to 'in', as well as improving exchanges and the like in key communities. They did not need any persuasion this should be a dimension of policy and were genuinely interested in any models for assisting communities in this. I told them there were a number of community initiatives throughout the Highlands and Islands to seek to deliver superfast broadband.
While on the way down to London, I popped in to Rutland Telecom. This was very interesting. Rutland Telecom is a small company which has been doing work in taking over some BT exchange capacity to deliver higher bandwidth broadband to parts of rural England and Wales.
In outline, having secured the status of a Telco, this gives them certain rights to information from BT, and where there is a local demand for a new service that is viable, they can 'take over' and upgrade part of a local exchange to deliver a service to local people. It is effectively enabling competition to BT.
Rutland is now offering a service (£500 a go) to communities to assess the capability of their local exchange (using their Telco powers to get info out of BT), what it would cost to upgrade exchanges to deliver higher bandwidth, what bandwidth could be delivered, and how many people would be needed to make an alternative service to BT viable.
For those communities close to an exchange which is not offering the level of service folks want, this may provide a new set of possibilities. Rutland has had over 200 enquiries from communities across the land frustrated with BT. They are potentially up for joint ventures with communities, where that might be appropriate.
Even if your house is a long distance from an exchange, Rutland Telecom has a solution called Fibre to the Cabinet. They were the first company in the UK to develop this technology. On their website you can read all about how it works and how they achieved it in the village of Lyddington, which now has the fastest broadband of any rural village in the UK over telephone lines. Their website is http://www.rutlandtelecom.co.uk
Before you all rush to Rutland, they are a small, but innovative company, and they are working through the enquiries they have had, which they have found pretty overwhelming. In short, they have a bit of a queue for help.
Incidentally, I understand that BT is still exploring how it might best provide upgrade estimates to communities in time for the LEADER deadline.
Just keeping you in the loop of what I have been up to, and some possibilities arising. Best wishes."
Letter of 13 July 210 from Peter Peacock MSP, Rhoda Grant MSP and David Stewart MSP
"We wanted to keep you up to date with developments on broadband issues now that the new government at Westminster has taken office.
We are pleased the initial signs are that the importance of broadband is being recognised. However, we have concerns about the opinion that the Minister who has been given responsibility for broadband matters at Westminster, Jeremy Hunt, previously voiced about the roll-out of super-fast broadband. In November last year Mr Hunt voiced the opinion that telecoms companies should be encouraged to take the lead in the roll-out of super-fast broadband services to major cities, before moving on to rural areas (Guardian.co.uk - 18 November 2009). This is in direct contrast to our view that rural areas must be given priority in any roll-out. We have therefore written to the Minister stressing the commitment given in the Digital Britain report that those areas without a service would be given priority in any government funded roll-out and calling upon him to adopt this position.
We understand however it may be the case that some market testing pilot projects will be undertaken to establish how super-fast broadband can be delivered to rural areas. We have advised the Minister of some of the highly innovative trials which have been undertaken in the Highlands and Islands which demonstrate that super-fast broadband is an achievable objective, within relatively short timescales, and have called for the Highlands and Islands region to be designated a pilot area for this research.
In addition, we have sought a meeting with the Minister to allow us to set out the challenges and problems which are specific to the Highlands and Islands region and to offer potential policy solutions. We will of course keep you updated on developments with this but in the meantime we would ask you to join us in lobbying Mr Hunt for the Highlands and Islands to become a pilot area. A letter is available from our website at http://www.hibroadband.org.uk/letter.htm
You may have noticed that the LEADER funding for rural broadband was announced recently. If your community is interested in applying for this funding you should contact your Local Action Group (LAG) — details of LEADER LAGs are available from http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/04/11141433/16
If your community does apply for this funding, we would be grateful if you could copy us in on any submission you make.
We will of course keep you updated on any future developments in this area but please feel free to come back to us in the meantime if we can be of any further help to you.
Best wishes."
