People in Welton, near Caldbeck, have broadband speeds of just 1Mb/s, but BT is unable to connect them to a faster service because of funding regulations surrounding the Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) programme.
The scheme is being delivered locally by Connecting Cumbria – a partnership between BT, Cumbria County Council and central government, with each putting in money to finance the rollout of fibre broadband to rural areas.
Businessman Martyn Boak, 51, who has lived in the Welton area for 22 years, was frustrated to learn that they were never considered as part of Connecting Cumbria’s roll-out.
Mr Boak, managing director of Carlisle-based Northern Developments, understands BT have had a super fast broadband cable running through Welton to serve the Caldbeck area for some time.
“The people of Welton and surrounding area are unable to benefit from that service because Connecting Cumbria opted out of our area back in 2014, without any consultation. As a result BT cannot connect us to that service,” he said.
“I feel that everyone impacted by the poor broadband service – we have 1Mb/s at home – should be aware of this and bring common sense to bear on the council and BT, and get us all connected to the service that exists and runs right through the village.”
One of the things which determined areas that would qualify for the BDUK programme was that the roll-out of fibre broadband to rural areas would only be provided where there were no commercial plans by alternative providers.
This was said to be the case in Welton and it was therefore not mapped in the Connecting Cumbria scheme.
A spokeswoman for Connecting Cumbria said: “In order to use the state aid allocated to the programme, deployment has to be planned where there is no existing coverage or plans to deliver broadband commercially through any broadband provider.
“A wireless broadband company, Solway Communications, has stated they can deliver broadband to Welton, therefore the village was not included in the Connecting Cumbria fibre programme.”
Nick Kittoe Nick Kittoe, managing director of Solway Communication, said they didn’t determine what areas would be represented by BDUK. They simply told BDUK about the locations and capacities of their antennae, as they were at the time.
But Mr Kittoe added: “The maps which BDUK’s management consultants produced for this purpose are, in our opinion and that of our independent radio-propagation consultants – both of which we have expressed vociferously – wrong as to method, based on incorrect assumptions and, therefore, largely valueless.”
As a result, Mr Kittoe said, this has meant BDUK subsidies have covered some areas where his company provides high-capacity connections.
In other areas, where Solway Communications is not yet providing such connections, BDUK has denied itself the opportunity to subsidise BT.
He added: “I can only suggest that the man from Welton takes his concerns back to the council and BDUK.”
In locations not covered by the BDUK money, there are options including community-funded broadband, where the cost for the connection would be split between residents.
People unable to reach speeds of 2Mb/s are also eligible for a £350 subsidy under a new Basic Broadband Scheme, part of the Government’s commitment to improving internet speeds by 2020.
Homeowners need to sign up to a participating local internet service provider. Solway Communications is among the providers covered by the scheme.
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