SHROPSHIRE COUNCIL LEADER PRESSES FOR MORE PROGRESS ON BROADBAND CONNECTION.
Shropshire Council Leader, Cllr Heather Kidd, is putting pressure on BDUK, the commissioning body for broadband provision to step up a gear will the delivery of the service to the last 5% of Shropshir’s residents are still not connected.
Heather said: “There has been some delay in delivering broadband to the last 5% of dwellings across Shropshire after two companies pulled out of the programme. Given the topography or Shropshire these homes and business are almost all in very rural areas, often with poor mobile signals.
“In this day and age being connected to the internet is socially and economically critical. In my experience in Chirbury and Worthen Division many of my residents are struggling with at best, a substandard service. Many services can only be accessed via the internet and business suffer hugely if they don’t have proper access to broadband. Even farmers’ livestock need to be registered on line.
“I am pressuring BDUK, the body who commission this work, to come up with new providers. Time is passing by and its unfair for residents continue to suffer because they live in the rural areas of our county.”*
: Shropshire Council is also urging providers to use some innovative methods to speed up the process including:
• Considering using the model that Atlas are using in Hopton Wafers and Clive. Building towers and getting mobile operators involved in reaching the really difficult areas. This will help to deliver 5G Mobile signal and that can be used to deliver good quality broadband.
• Using River Severn Partnership wireless innovation region mapping of not spots.