Rural parts of Cumbria included in government broadband scheme
People living in rural areas have welcomed the news they will get ultra-fast broadband under a government contract, after months of uncertainty.Residents of parishes near Appleby, in Cumbria, which missed out on high-speed internet in 2023, would soon have access to full-fibre broadband, provider Fibrus said.Manager of Appleby Golf Club Jo Wood said it was exciting for the business but frustrating that it could have been delivered earlier.Fibrus said it was on course to connect 53,000 rural properties in Cumbria by the end of 2027.
Mrs Wood said the current broadband at the golf club in the parish of Murton, near Appleby, was "hit and miss" and sometimes caused problems with card payments."We have to write down any transaction that we make during that time and input it, which can be quite time-consuming," she said.Mrs Wood said a better internet connection would allow the club to invest in digital signage, allowing golfers to input live scores.
Fibrus is delivering the government's Project Gigabit in Cumbria, which uses government subsidy to bring full-fibre broadband to parts of the country that are hard to reach.The government previously said the project would serve 60,000 properties in Cumbria, but Fibrus said some of those had not been confirmed and the total would now come to 53,000.The chairman of Murton Parish Council John McDarren has campaigned for the area to get better broadband, and said he was still "sceptical" and wanted to ensure all the properties in the parish would be connected.He said the area was on the verge of getting high-speed broadband through a different provider in 2023 under a government voucher scheme, but the project was cancelled.
Rural areas 'missing out'
The Project Gigabit contract in Cumbria was previously due to be completed by the end of 2026, but has been put back to 2027.Chair and founder of Fibrus Conal Henry said the company was "very focused" on delivering the new timeline.But he said rural areas not subsidised by the government were missing out on investment because of high charges levied by Openreach to use its infrastructure for fibre-optic cables.He said the cost was "20 times as high" in rural areas, because homes were further apart and rental payments for using Openreach ducts and poles were charged by the metre.
The cost is set by telecoms regulator Ofcom and is currently being reviewed. Mr Henry said halving the fees would free up cash to invest in rural networks.Openreach said its prices were "cheap as chips" and that "operators underpay based on a fair allocation of costs".The company, which is owned by BT, must allow other companies to use its network because much of it was built when BT was a publicly owned monopoly.An Ofcom spokesperson said: "We want to continue allowing competitors to use this infrastructure."
Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
19 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Openreach urges Cumbernauld homes to upgrade broadband
More than 13,000 homes and businesses in Cumbernauld are eligible to upgrade to Openreach's Full Fibre network, but only a fraction have made the switch. Despite a £3.9 million investment and coverage reaching more than half of the town, just over one in five properties have upgraded. (Image: Supplied) Read more: New Glasgow letting agent aims to manage 1,000 properties in two years Robert Thorburn, Openreach's partnership director for Scotland, said: "Fast and reliable full fibre broadband gives households and businesses a significant boost. "As the UK's leading provider of fibre infrastructure, Openreach is at the forefront of the digital transformation, connecting communities all over the UK and future-proofing the network for decades to come. "Our extensive network – the largest in the UK – means residents can shop around and find the best deals that suit their needs. "But it's important to remember that upgrades don't happen automatically. "People need to order it to take advantage of the technology." The uptake challenge extends beyond Cumbernauld, with neighbouring areas such as Shotts, Cambusnethan, and Greengairs also lagging behind in adoption. Across North Lanarkshire, more than 85,000 properties now have access to Full Fibre. The technology is said to provide" gigabit-capable speeds", which allows multiple devices to connect simultaneously without slowing down. Mr Thorburn said many eligible residents might not realise they need to actively request an upgrade. He said: "It's important to remember that upgrades don't happen automatically. "People need to order it to take advantage of the technology." (Image: Supplied) Read more: Meet the Glasgow pupil who raised hundreds of pounds to buy a life-saving device Openreach says Full Fibre is suited to streaming, gaming, video calls, online banking, and business operations. The company also notes that newer broadband packages are increasingly competitively priced, with some customers potentially paying the same or less than their current bills. Openreach's Full Fibre network currently reaches more than 18 million properties across the UK. The company aims to expand this to 25 million by the end of 2026 and believes it could reach 30 million by 2030 with the right investment conditions. Residents can check their eligibility using Openreach's online Full Fibre checker.
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Daily Record
Full fibre broadband with gigabit-capable speeds coming to Hamilton
This is a major infrastructure upgrade, so there will be more engineering teams, equipment and vans around town. Openreach has started work to build a new broadband network for Hamilton – which they say will give residents and businesses access to some of the fastest, most reliable broadband anywhere in Europe. The once-in-a-generation, full fibre broadband upgrade will let thousands of local people connect multiple devices at gigabit-capable speeds and help businesses trade online and compete for decades to come. Engineers have started work in Hamilton and the build is expected to reach the majority of local homes and businesses. Fibre technology provides more reliable, resilient and future-proof connectivity, with fewer faults; more predictable, consistent speeds; and enough capacity to easily meet growing data demands. It boosts every online experience, from seamless streaming and gaming for households to smooth video calls, banking and customer interactions for businesses, with much less buffering or slowdown at busy times Local people can visit to register for updates and, as the build progresses, check their addresses to see when services are available from their chosen provider. Download the Lanarkshire Live app today The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now. Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire's recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7. The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you. Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android Robert Thorburn, Openreach partnership director for Scotland, said: 'We're bringing full fibre broadband to Hamilton and letting local people know what to expect. 'This is a major infrastructure upgrade, so there will be more engineering teams, equipment and vans around town, and we're working hard to keep disruption to a minimum. 'Wherever possible, we'll use our existing network of ducts and poles to avoid roadworks, new street furniture and disturbance. But there may be places where we need to install new poles, underground ducts and fibre cables because it's the only way to make sure households get included in the upgrade.' Openreach's full fibre network now reaches more than 18 million properties, and the company plans to extend this to 25 million homes and businesses by the end of 2026, with a belief it can reach as many as 30 million by the end of the decade – with the right investment conditions. You can find out more about the benefits of an upgrade to Full Fibre broadband on the Openreach website.
Telegraph
01-06-2025
- Telegraph
TalkTalk in row with Sky over fees as it battles customer exodus
TalkTalk is withholding millions of pounds from Sky as the struggling broadband provider battles an exodus of customers. The Telegraph has learnt that TalkTalk has been locked in a contractual dispute with Sky for a number of months over fees owed to the media giant. The dispute is understood to relate to Sky 's streaming service Now, which TalkTalk previously offered to its television customers as part of a bundled package with a single bill. The broadband company began phasing out this offering at the end of the last year. Sources close to TalkTalk insisted the dispute over volumes reflected changing viewing habits. The company also recently scrapped the option of including Netflix in its television packages. But it comes amid concerns about TalkTalk's finances as the broadband company grapples with large numbers of customers leaving. A source at one supplier said there was 'significant concern' about the company's ability to pay its bills. TalkTalk, which was founded by Sir Charles Dunstone, said it did not recognise this description of its finances. Suppliers squeezed TalkTalk's biggest supplier is Openreach, BT's network arm, which provides the underlying broadband connection for most of its customers. It is understood to be closely monitoring TalkTalk and its monthly payments. Suppliers to TalkTalk have previously been squeezed as the company struggled to shore up its finances. In 2023, the company extended its credit terms with some suppliers to as much as 300 days, while it has also made use of supply chain financing, which allows suppliers to obtain earlier payments via the company's bank. Companies that have faced late payments include The&Partnership, the advertising agency founded by Johnny Hornby, who also co-founded the Hawkstone beer brand with Jeremy Clarkson. Hornby is a personal friend of Sir Charles. While supplier terms are understood to have returned to normal, TalkTalk is facing fresh pressure on its top line. The company shed more than 400,000 customers in the year to February, taking its total to 3.2m. Customer losses follow heavy cost-cutting at the company, which has reduced marketing and customer acquisition costs by £50m. TalkTalk, which has traditionally been known as a discount broadband provider, is also facing tougher competition from a wave of challenger 'alt-net' firms that offer full-fibre services at cut-price rates. The shrinking customer base led to a 7pc fall in revenues to £1.4bn in 2024. This figure is forecast to drop further in the coming year. Meanwhile, TalkTalk slashed about 350 jobs last year, with further cuts expected in the coming year as the company prepares to roll out new customer service software from Octopus-owned Kraken. The figures underscore the continued pressure on TalkTalk's finances after it was rescued from collapse through an 11th-hour bailout. Sir Charles, TalkTalk's executive chairman, and other shareholders were forced to pump £235m into the company to stave off a looming debt default. The deal, which has given investment firm Ares significant control over TalkTalk, secured extensions to maturity deadlines covering about £1.2bn of debt. Looking for a buyer TalkTalk burnt through £285m last year, more than offsetting its emergency cash injection as it scrambled to pay back suppliers. The company is also still facing eye-watering debt costs. The company is now looking for a buyer for all or part of the business after breaking itself up into three divisions in 2023. It was previously in talks with Australian investment firm Macquarie about the sale of a stake in its wholesale unit for up to £500m, but a deal never materialised. Analysts have warned that the darkening financial outlook has made the prospect of dealmaking less likely. TalkTalk has said it plans to relaunch its offering to customers and will make further cost cuts as it shifts its customer base away from ageing copper networks to full fibre.
