Just in – Phase 2 Intervention Areas
Oct 15, 2015Connecting Cumbria have just published maps of the phase 2 intervention areas, which have now been approved by BDUK.
The map of particular interest is the intervention area for superfast broadband which can be found via this link: phase 2 intervention area SFBB. Those in the white areas are within the intervention area. Those in the shaded areas either already are covered under phase 1 or – more contentiously – are deemed to be covered in the future by commercial providers.
More details and additional maps are on CC’s site at www.connectingcumbria.org.uk/latest-news
Before getting too excited (!!) a reminder that this defines the areas where phase 2 monies (now £9.6m) may (not will) be spent. The original £5.7m phase 2 money was going to take the County from 93% coverage (phase 1) to 95% coverage by the end of phase 2 (end 2017). The extra money should push the fibre out further.
So what now? BT – which has the contract for phase 2 - are undertaking a detailed modelling exercise, to be followed up with on the ground surveys before coming up with a preliminary list of which areas will actually get fibre connections. My guess is that these will centre on the more compact communities where many premises can be served by a single cabinet and those communities where the cabinet can readily be connected into the existing fibre network. New technology being trialled and the selective use of fibre to the premises will, I’m sure, make the money go further.