Broadband
Broadband Internet Access Advice
| Service ID: | 372 |
|---|---|
| email: | webmaster@staffordbc.gov.uk |
| telephone: | 01785 619000 |
| sms: | 07781 471023 |
| fax: | 01785 619219 |
| complaints: | cme2505.htm |
Broadband is a technology that enables both businesses and the public to access a wide variety of new ICT services. This suite of technologies offers the potential to transform the development and use of ICT applications and services. There are currently over 7 million broadband connections in the UK (March 2005), with this figure growing at over 60,000 per week. The UK has the most extensive broadband network in the G7 group of countries, with over 97% of households able to receive broadband.
Useful site for checking availability.
http://www.broadband-expert.co.uk
http://www.broadbandinternetuk.com/
http://www.broadbandgenie.co.uk/
Broadband Access GrantsThis initiative aims to give homeowners and communities in the West Midlands who at the moment cannot access the Internet without using slow dial up connections, the chance to access broadband by providing grants and advice.
The scheme is being managed by the West Midlands Networking Company, a not for profit organisation funded by the regional development agency, Advantage West Midlands.
Rural Broadband Access Project - Project Summary
The underlying aim of the RBAP project was to prevent the creation of a broadband digital divide between communities and businesses that have access to broadband services at a competitive market price and those who cannot. The specific objectives were summarised as:
To provide broadband infrastructure in un-served (mostly rural) parts of the West Midlands.
Maximise Value for Money by extending the RBAP procurement to neighbouring RDAs to include as many post code areas as possible. Consequently the project covered areas of the South West and East Midlands Regions.
Aiming to bring equality of access to broadband services to the respective regions in terms of coverage and price.
Advantage West Midlands provided a grant to the West Midlands Networking Company to deliver the project. In the West Midlands there are still 24 exchange areas that BT sees no economic case for enabling, as well as other pockets of poor or non-existent coverage around the region. AWM seeks to use this project to address the shortfall and aims to deliver 'near universal' coverage in the West Midlands Region.
RABBIT
The Remote Area BroadBand Inclusion Trial or RABBIT is an existing initiative that provides grants to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that have no access to standard ADSL broadband services or who require an upgrade to their existing broadband service.
The aim of RABBIT is to trial alternative methods of providing broadband internet. The RBAP project in the West Midlands will modify the process to include broadband and ICT consultancy (via a Business Link adviser visit) in order to maximise the impact of the grant funding.
RABBIT grants can be issued to SMEs either for the initial installation of broadband or for upgrading to higher speed services. Each site will be evaluated by an ICT adviser from the local Business Link to determine the SME eligibility, requirement and most effective solution.
Government Broadband Strategies http://www.dti.gov.uk/sectors/telecoms/telecomsbroadband/telecomsbroadbandreports/page10035.html
To make an online request for information please click here