Superfast broadband moves one step closer for Somerset

12:30pm Thursday 22nd November 2012 in News

Superfast broadband moves one step closer for Somerset Superfast broadband moves one step closer for Somerset

BUSINESSES and individuals in the most rural parts of Somerset could have access to superfast broadband within three years.

On Tuesday, the EU gave approval to government plans to make broadband of at least two megabits per second available to 90% of people in the country by 2015.

It is hoped the rural broadband programme will help to create growth, jobs and economic prosperity in rural communities across Somerset.

Bridgwater and West Somerset MP Ian Liddell-Grainger said: “This is very good news for the area, which is particularly rural, and will greatly benefit from gaining access to faster broadband services.”

Comments(19)

DonSeer says...
2:24pm Thu 22 Nov 12

2mbit superfast?

that is sub-normal broadband these days.

what we're really waiting for is an update on the project SCC joined with a few other regional authorities to bring optical fibre speeds to rural areas.

now *that* is superfast

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DonSeer says...
2:25pm Thu 22 Nov 12

2mbit superfast?

that is sub-normal broadband these days.

what we're really waiting for is an update on the project SCC joined with a few other regional authorities to bring optical fibre speeds to rural areas.

now *that* is superfast

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Mike Rigby says...
4:17pm Thu 22 Nov 12

DonSeer wrote:
2mbit superfast?

that is sub-normal broadband these days.

what we're really waiting for is an update on the project SCC joined with a few other regional authorities to bring optical fibre speeds to rural areas.

now *that* is superfast
Too true, DonSeer. That is already regarded as slow and only 4 x faster than the very first Broadband service. In three years time that will be regarded as unusable. Another example of our leaders failing to raise their sights higher than their feet.

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Samej1 says...
4:54pm Thu 22 Nov 12

I think the key thing you're missing here is 'rural' - a lot of people are still struggling along below 1mbps or using satellite with it's horrendous latency and upload speeds.

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Mike Rigby says...
5:05pm Thu 22 Nov 12

Understood, Samej1 but rural areas need better than 1-2 mbps. The internet is all but unusable at that rate. The plan needs to be bolder!

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Samej1 says...
5:09pm Thu 22 Nov 12

Oh I agree wholeheartedly - I only get 2-2.5mbps where I am and it's sometimes a struggle to stream content, but it's still better than the 512k I used to get!

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DonSeer says...
10:45pm Thu 22 Nov 12

Samej1 - you're right - but my point was there IS already a scheme underway to bring proper fast optical to rural locations and SCC have signed up to it.

this news story over made me think this was an update on that project due to its over enthusiastic, and has as been pointed out outdated rhetoric!

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Greg0986 says...
11:08pm Thu 22 Nov 12

The majority of Bridgwater already has FTTC. Currently using an 80meg connection where I actually get 80meg.

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Anonone says...
8:18am Fri 23 Nov 12

I hate Greg0986

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Anonone says...
8:19am Fri 23 Nov 12

Mind you I, according to the PC, recently achieved 100 in Shanghai which was in fact slower than dial up of 1990

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Samej1 says...
9:18am Fri 23 Nov 12

DonSeer wrote:
Samej1 - you're right - but my point was there IS already a scheme underway to bring proper fast optical to rural locations and SCC have signed up to it.

this news story over made me think this was an update on that project due to its over enthusiastic, and has as been pointed out outdated rhetoric!
Yep it just looks like a rehash of the same news we all know about!

I've just had a look at the "Connecting Devon and Somerset" website, they quote 2mbps for everyone by 2015 and >24mbs to 85% of households/businesse
s in same period... with 100% over 24mbps by 2020.

I have my doubts this'll happen!

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DonSeer says...
9:43am Fri 23 Nov 12

mmm FTTC *drools*

Taunton has FTTC in places as well, I work for a technology company based in the centre of Taunton, and our offices can't get FTTC, yet a few employee's have been able to get it at their homes.

Stupid huh?

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Anonone says...
11:07am Fri 23 Nov 12

I have superfast fibre optics, in West Taunton, which comes out at about 18 to 22 in practice - not the 30 to 40 promised by TickTock. I was involved in 12 hours phone calls to the subcontinent in an English language, that despite my years, I was mostly unable to decipher. I also had three visits from 'engineers' that knew very little other than the slightly above average client. Before they visited I had wireless ADSL on all equipment at around 2.5 having slumped from 5.5 over three years. When they left I have a netbook on XP that they all failed to connect wirelessly yet it works in PCWorld and friends' houses. Be careful what you wish for

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Guy Smiley says...
12:54pm Fri 23 Nov 12

The choice - 80mbps internet but live in Bridgwater or 2.5mbps and live in Taunton...... I'll stick with 2.5mbps thanks. Buffering isn't *that* annoying.

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Anonone says...
4:51pm Fri 23 Nov 12

Yes and it took me 3 3/4 hrs to download this page
Seriously you also get buffering at 25 so "it's also maybe something to do with the computer" quoted TickTock

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boliston says...
9:47pm Fri 23 Nov 12

I'm pretty much resigned to only having a basic ADSL connection for the foreseeable future while everyone around me seems to be getting "superfast" 80mb/s+ speeds.

Looks like my street cabinet is earmarked for "FTTP" instead of "FTTC" but the trouble is they are not starting doing FTTP till FTTC is all finished, which will still be a long time.

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souwesterly says...
11:35am Sat 24 Nov 12

When I saw the headline on this article I thought - "Oh well - that's not for me; there's no way I'm going to fork out piles for a fibre optic Super Fast connection. Never mind!"
And then I read on and discovered two things - one that 'Super Fast' seems to mean over 2 Mbps and secondly, the article really refers to rural areas.
*
I'm in Priorswood and I get 3.2 Mbps which I'm told by TalkTalk is the maximum I can get because the BT equipment at the exchange can't handle anything faster. They told me that anyone in Taunton should be able to get at least 2.5 Mbps, by the way.....
(I run two bog standard PCs (XP) + a laptop (Windows 7) by wire using a router and a TP-LINK adaptor)
*
So fair enough - I can watch BBCi films and the Grand Prix live and such - and can open and download a page in micro-seconds......s
o what is it about fibre optic that's so wonderful?
Ok - if you're doing something esoteric or exotic with graphics then perhaps 80Mb is excellent - but saving a few more micro-seconds in opening and downloading a page....? Is that worth the extra cash? Is it necessary?
*
In my opinion I'd just like to see the so-called Super Fast broadband that I get made available to all industry in the towns and villages first of all. That will also allow the 'locals' to connect up.... Like SOON! And then worry about fibre optic once all the technology is made idiotproof (and cheaper).
Perhaps I'm lucky with my connection - but from what TalkTalk tell me, I'm just 'average'.

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Anonone says...
5:19pm Sat 24 Nov 12

I have a friend in Galmington with TickTock who gets .5mb and fibre optics is not available and yet 1/4mile away off College Way another friend (please note that's two friends....)has fibre optics with over 30
Madness

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*Flick* says...
9:51am Mon 26 Nov 12

My broadband was significantly better when I lived in the middle of nowhere. Now that I have moved back into the town it is slower, and I now have to have a download limit as my connection isn't 'strong enough' for the unlimited package I had when living in the 'sticks'.

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