Broadband Cumbria

Chris - the Council is going to use an open procurement process to identify organisation(s) to work with. The process is only just starting - the level of interest is high so there will be competition. You are right to continue to reinforce the focus on rural need as being key to what the Council does - be assured that notspots, lowspots, rurality and community innovation are at the heart of what will be done. And alongside this the Council has a clear ambition to get superfast broadband for all of the people in Cumbria ASAP - using whatever approach is necessary or possible. Happy to be traditional and discuss this with you if this forum posting is not doing justice to this important debate.

there you go cumbria. You look to be going down the same route as lancashire. Do take care. Lancs procurement is for one organisation to do the whole thing. £100 million turnover is a condition for the tender process. Now let me think, who is likely to get this tender? And when they do get it, what will they do? You guessed it. Cabinets for urban. BET and satellite for rural. Same as Cornwall. Another one bites the dust. Where is our knight on a white charger? Who will deliver NGA to Cumbria? As Ali says, ’you can keep your infinity, we’ll take beyond’.
There is no need to bother with any populated areas. Concentrate the funding on the notspots and grotspots where you get take up. Very soon these projects will start to make money, and start to spread. The telcos will then upgrade the urbans or lose the customers. Seed funding now will set in motion a movement that will bring true NGA to cumbria in our lifetimes. Hand the money over to BT and you will just have another project access on your hands. Don’t waste another pot. You won’t get another chance. Show Lancashire how to JFDI.
chris

I don’t understand the thinking behind this letter. It appears to ignore the message from the rural communities, and looks out of touch with the reality of several small communities meeting and working together. It also seems to miss the point of a pilot being an opportunity to try new ways of doing things.

nice one.