10/01/08 - Broadband Update

Local residents (including myself!) have been growing extremely frustrated at the 'hit and miss' broadband availability.  For some we have had no broadband (including myself!) and others their broadband has come and gone from time to time.Below are two updates.  First dealing with the 'come and gone' issues.  Secondly the efforts we are making to secure better broadband provision for new houses.I will keep the site updated with any further updates.

This is the update from 'The Link Magazine' who have been helping chase BT...

Justin,Roger Ogle fowarded me a copy of your email concerning broadband in the Northern sector.  I've been keeping track of this for a few months now for the Link and it looks as if the end is in sight.The latest on the BT Openreach website is a briefing issued on 7th January, stating that all work to move lines to the new Haydon Wick exchange should be completed by 31st January.  Although the exchange opened in October, lines were still being routed via Blunsdon which meant painfully slow connections to the internet.  As BT Openreach began moving the lines across to the new exchange, many homes in the north lost their connections altogether.   The migration of lines from the Blunsdon exchange to Haydon Wick has been quite a saga. 

You'll find a very busy forum on the subject at: http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=btsupplier&page=0&view=expanded&sb=5&o=0T

here's more here http://www.swindonlink.com/news/show/426According to the work schedule, Taw Hill should be connected this week..Regards,Barbara

This is the update from Cllr Dale Heenan (Conservative, Covingham & Nythe ward), Chairman of Planning...

Hi Celia,
 
Following on from a discussion I had yesterday with Dave, Martin and other Officers during the pre-Planning Committee meeting about Broadband internet connectivity in the Northern Sector - or specifically the lack of. Please could I ask you to write an open letter to BT at an appropiate level to ensure that we can some action on this ongoing issue so it's dealt with before any more homes are built. Or perhaps get them around a table...
 
Highspeed Internet could be considered an essential infrastructure requirement these days and given the borough's aspiration it seems ridiculous the newest areas of the town can't even get this fundamental right. I would assume this letter would include Peter as the Lead Member and perhaps Justin as a local ward member.
 
Either BT needs to address the problem and give SBC an indication of when areas of Taw Hill and Priory Vale can receive Broadband Internet or the company states what residents and other third parties need to do to get this level of service introduced.
 
I believe the problem is largely just a distance problem with homes being built that are too far from the current Blunsdon exchange. A new Haydon Wick exchange was created in September 07 on Thamesdown Drive but it doesn't appear to have the correct connectivity to serve the area with broadband. Existing numbers in the Taw Hill area are also still routed through Blunsdon which defeats the point of this new exchange. 
 
There should be a simple solution.
 
Thanks,
Dale
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