Newsletter, May 2021

News from Connecting Shropshire on the following topics:

Re-launch of the Broadband Voucher Scheme

Government’s UK Gigabit Voucher Scheme can help rural communities to get access to a gigabit-capable broadband connection.

Broadband coverage map updated

Connecting Shropshire has updated its current and projected superfast broadband coverage map.

To view the newsletter, please click on the following link: 20210510-Connecting-Shropshire-broadband-programme-update-May-2021.pdf

Open Market Review launched

Building Digital UK (BDUK) have today launched the Open Market Review (OMR) inviting broadband infrastructure suppliers to provide information about their current/planned coverage in Shropshire. BDUK will use OMR responses to inform the size and scale of the intervention areas for its procurements in Project Gigabit.
For more information about the OMR process, please click here.
The closing date is: 22nd April 2021.

Project Gigabit – Phase 1 delivery plan revealed

Shropshire Council is pleased to hear that the county is included in Phase 1b of the government’s Project Gigabit announcement.

Since 2013, Shropshire Council’s Connecting Shropshire broadband programme has worked alongside Building Digital UK (BDUK) to provide improved broadband connectivity across the Shropshire Council area. Since 2014, coverage of superfast broadband has increased from 24% to 94%.

Previous broadband infrastructure procurements were undertaken by Shropshire Council, but these will now be managed by BDUK. We look forwards to continuing to work with BDUK to provide more gigabit broadband coverage in Shropshire.

Chris Taylor, Broadband Manager at Shropshire Council, said: “We have been working with BDUK on the next iteration of the national broadband programme for some time. The announcement that Shropshire is in an early phase of delivery is a positive and rewarding outcome. We now need to work through the detail with BDUK. As soon as we receive more information, which we understand is likely to be late summer, then this will be shared widely.”

The next step towards BDUK commencing a formal procurement requires an Open Market Review (OMR) to identify Telecoms Providers’ current and planned gigabit-capable broadband coverage. BDUK is expected to launch an OMR process during spring. The OMR will be followed by a Public Review to validate the coverage information provided by Telecoms Providers. This is expected later this summer.

Alongside the upcoming procurement, the government has also announced that the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, which is currently closed to new applications in Shropshire, will be re-launched in April.

In September 2020, Shropshire Council added up to £1 million of additional funding to ‘top-up’ the national Voucher Scheme.

Any underspend from last financial year will be carried forward to the new Scheme and will be distributed on a first come, first served basis when the scheme relaunches.

More information about the Voucher Scheme can be found on the Connecting Shropshire website or by contacting the team on 01743 252203 or connecting.shropshire@shropshire.gov.uk

Newsletter, November 2020

News from Connecting Shropshire on the following topics:

Superfast broadband coverage

94% of premises now have access to a superfast broadband connection with download speeds of at least 30mbps

Additional funding to support business

Eligible businesses could each qualify for a £25,000 grant to 100% fund access to a high-speed broadband connection.

To view, please click on the following link: http://connectingshropshire.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/20201109-Connecting-Shropshire-broadband-programme-update-November-2020.pdf

Broadband vouchers available for rural premises

The Government’s UK Gigabit Voucher Scheme can help rural communities to get access to a gigabit-capable broadband connection.

Thanks to a top-up from Shropshire Council, the maximum funding per voucher is £7,000 for business premises and £4,000 for homes. To find out more, go to: http://connectingshropshire.co.uk/gigabit-broadband-voucher-scheme/