NEW PILOT TO HELP BROADBAND SCHEME TAKE FLIGHT
News release
6th August 2012
Imagine life without roads or railways - getting from A to B or transporting goods and services would almost be impossible. Good connections are essential to everyday life and for economic prosperity, including good broadband connectivity.
Unfortunately many people living in rural parts of Lincolnshire have no or limited access to broadband which is why a meeting is being organised in Ingoldmells later this month to discuss how people living in so-called ‘not-spots’ can get online.
Russell Wallis from Globe Consultants, which is working on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council, said: “More and more services are being delivered online and having a decent broadband connection opens up a whole new world of possibilities.
“As well as being able to work or study from home more effectively you can also speak to friends and family anywhere in the world for free, book holidays and save money on things like car insurance and utility bills by using price comparison websites.
“If you don’t have good access to broadband you risk being excluded from society which is why we’re urging residents and businesses who are fed up of the poor broadband service they are receiving to help us do something about it by coming to the meeting.”
During the meeting at the Royal Arthur Centre on 13th August at 6pm Russell and rural broadband expert John Popham from CDI Alliance will be discussing the proposed plans to run a pilot scheme which would look at alternative ways communities and businesses could access superfast broadband in Ingoldmells and Chapel St Leonards, but unless there is commitment and support from the residents and businesses in the area, this may not happen.
“The county council has been awarded some money from the European Regional Development Fund to run some pilots to find out if there’s a demand and test solutions to broadband connectivity.
The pilots are part of the £57m OnLincolnshire campaign which aims to achieve superfast broadband speeds of at least 24Mbps for 90% of homes and businesses in the county and a guaranteed 2Mpbs for the remaining premises by 2015.
To lend your support for faster broadband in Lincolnshire log on to the website http://www.OnLincolnshire.org and register your details to support our campaign.
Ends
Photo/interview opportunity
Journalists are welcome to attend the meeting on 13th August at 6pm at the Royal Arthur Centre on Skegness Road in Ingoldmells. Please contact Kate Strawson at Shooting Star PR on 01522 528540 to confirm your attendance.
Notes to Editors
- The pilot schemes are part a separate 30-month project, being run as part of the OnLincolnshire campaign, which aims to ensure that rural areas and less well-off communities in Lincolnshire are not left behind and unable to reap the economic, health and education benefits superfast broadband offers. The project also supports Lincolnshire's strategic vision to have widespread use of digital technologies by 2030.
- The demand and supply stimulation side of the Rural Broadband Pilots project is being run on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council by specialist consultants CDI Alliance Ltd with Lincoln based associate Globe Consultants.
- The project is being part-financed by the East Midlands European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007 to 2013.
- The Department for Communities and Local Government is the managing authority for the European Regional Development Fund Programme, which is one of the funds established by the European Commission to help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support local businesses and create jobs. For more information visit www.communities.gov.uk/erdf
Kate Strawson
Shooting Star PR
01522 528540
kate@shootingstar-pr.co.uk
www.shootingstar-pr.co.uk
t: @shootingstarpr
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