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Free upgrade to Fibre Optic Broadband. - Dawn Hoskins (9th Jan 2021 - 17:29:21) I’m sure that many of you saw the BBC report about the UK Government rolling out funding to ‘push’ the issue of bringing fast broadband to rural areas. It is called ‘Connect My Community’ and in a nutshell, the government are giving vouchers to cover the cost of the upgrade to Open Reach who will come to do the work. The Exchange/Cabinets that covers parts of “Headley, Standford, Hollywater, Passfield, Burgh Hill, Hill House Hill, Bramshott” has been identified as a slow underperforming rural area that has been granted government funding under the ‘Connect my Community’ scheme. HURRAY!! It can be a bit tricky to work out which house numbers are part of the scheme as the cabinet wiring systems seem to be a mystery to everyone. So, the only way to work out if your house is part of the ‘funding pot’ is to put your details into the Connect my Community online form. You put your postcode in to see if you are eligible for a voucher under the scheme after confirming that you are not a robot by clicking on images of lampposts, or bicycles (you know what I mean). If your address is eligible it will tell you straight away, then you just fill in the form and submit your ‘pledge’. Simples The main problem with this roll-out is that it is not being advertised, and Open Reach will not come to upgrade our antiquated copper-wire unless a minimum number of people sign up (which they call a pledge). PLEASE – fill out the online form and sign up if you are able. We need numbers. There are only 3 types of broadband that exist: ADSL, FTTC and FTTP (explained below). In Passfield for example we have copper wires running from the exchange to the cabinet and copper wires from the cabinet to our homes. This is called ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line) broadband. It is rubbish. Some lucky people in our area have FTTC (Fibre to the cabinet) broadband. This means that they have fibre running from the exchange to the cabinet, but then, only copper wires from the cabinet to the property. It is still ‘Super Fast’, but the last bit of the journey lets it down as it is still on snail mail. Ultra-Fast broadband upgrades all of the copper wires – so you get Fibre Optic Cable running from the exchange, to the cabinet and also Fibre Optic Cable from the cabinet to your home. This is called FTTP (Fibre to the Premises) broadband. Even if you already have ‘Super Fast’ Broadband, you should still sign up for the free upgrade to full Fibre Optic if your postcode is eligible so you get frd of the old copper wire from the cabinet to your house.. As long as ENOUGH PEOPLE say they want their lines upgraded free of charge, Open Reach will come and replace the ancient copper wires to fibre which will run directly into your property. Hey Presto – the kids can do their schoolwork and you can Zoom to your heart's content with no dropouts or buffering. If you already pay for broadband, you know that various providers offer different packages (at different prices) with a different deal like unlimited phone calls etc. Asking for the upgrade from copper to fibre will NOT mean that have to sign up with BT – you are free to continue with whichever service provider you want. Please click on this link to open the form: openreach.com/connectmycommunity If you want more information, a local Facebook page has been set up called ‘East Hampshire Ultrafast Fibre Internet’ Here is the link facebook.com/groups/ultrafastinternet The only reason this rollout is not happening quickly in the UK is that people who are eligible are not finding out about it until it’s too late. People also misunderstand the terminology of ‘vouchers’ and ‘pledges’ and think that they are going to be charged thousands of pounds for the work. Please share this with everyone you know, by word of mouth and by using social media so that everyone eligible for this free upgrade – gets it. Please be assured – there is no cost for the upgrade if your postcode falls into the eligible exchange/cabinet It only takes a few seconds to check. Please do it

Re: Free upgrade to Fibre Optic Broadband. - Neil (9th Jan 2021 - 22:39:14) Hi I've recently done a submission for our cul de sac and it covers a lots of Canada Way and Huron Drive. Waiting to hear back from Openreach. Thanks Neil

Re: Free upgrade to Fibre Optic Broadband. - Dawn Hoskins (10th Jan 2021 - 22:29:39) Well done. It’s a total mystery as to which addresses are included in the voucher scheme. We initially thought it was going to be Passfield and Conford only but it seems far wider. If people don’t know about it, they will miss the boat - and also , if too few people sign up it gives Open Reach an excuse not to come. Please share the news on your Facebook page

Re: Free upgrade to Fibre Optic Broadband. - Julian (11th Jan 2021 - 11:39:10) In a rural location, the cost of replacing old copper with full-fibre can be expensive. I have heard from some local home owners who say they have been quoted over £25K to install fibre to their home (FTTP). One was quoted in excess of £100K. So I guess now is the time for everyone to apply for a £3K voucher and make this happen as a community. Some users seem reluctant to apply but this community scheme requires everyone's support, even those who have Superfast already. Superfast = Up to 80Mbps Ultrafast = Up to 1000Mbps No brainer in my mind.

Re: Free upgrade to Fibre Optic Broadband. - Diane (11th Jan 2021 - 15:58:02) It seems GU30 7SL does not qualify

Re: Free upgrade to Fibre Optic Broadband. - Resale Value (11th Jan 2021 - 16:15:00) One thing I would advise everyone to think about with fibre broadband is this. You may be thinking "I don't need super fast or ultra fast broadband, I only go on the internet to check the weather". And you are right, you don't need those speeds. But we're in 2021. The internet is becoming more critical to working lives everyday. And as more immersive digital experiences are developed faster internet will be needed. If in 10 years time you come to sell your house, there's a very good chance one of the questions will be "is it super fast/ultrafast ready" because as working patterns change, the value of a house will be dictated not solely by its physical location, but by its digital one too

Re: Free upgrade to Fibre Optic Broadband. - M (11th Jan 2021 - 17:10:48) Just be aware that if you do pledge and your house does get fibre right up to your premises you will need to then purchase the package you want from who ever can provide it. The way some of the above posts read it make it sound like it's all free and you get Ultrafast Broadband if you pledge. Current monthly rates from BT for 900 Ultrafast Broadband start at £54.99 per month, and that doesn't include a phone line or calls.

Re: Free upgrade to Fibre Optic Broadband. - joe (11th Jan 2021 - 17:19:15) think BT expect you to change to them as a provider before they will provide this anyway.

Re: Free upgrade to Fibre Optic Broadband. - Dawn Hoskins (19th Jan 2021 - 22:35:22) Hi Joe Nope, you don't have to go with BT when the fibre is installed. You can go with whoever you want to. We are now up to target so we will definitely be getting it!!! Whoop Whoop. The neighbours who don't sign up will be the few who have old copper wires going to their houses when the rest of us will have been upgraded (free of charge) to fibre right into our houses. If you don't sign up now you miss the boat entirely - the installers will simply bypass your house - this is a once in a lifetime opportunity so it really is crazy to miss out on it. We currently have speeds of between 6 - 8 Mb which is bloody ridiculous so we cannot wait for this. In the future as technology advances, only fibre optic cable will be good enough. Then the poor souls who still have copper will have to pay for the upgrade themselves. I can't imagine that anyone thinks that Openreach is going to pay for thier broadband service though? really? We are talking about having the wires upgraded free of charge with fibre optic cables from the exchange, to the cabinet and directly into your home - for free.

Re: Free upgrade to Fibre Optic Broadband. - Knowledge (20th Jan 2021 - 08:42:51) Thanks for the gloating Dawn. As another poster has said, this isn't available to all postcodes, albeit we have superfast here and get about 72mbps but with NO plans to upgrdade us further with fibre to the property. By the way, some people don't use the internet - some of the elderly for example. Perhaps they're the ones not requesting the upgrade?

Re: Free upgrade to Fibre Optic Broadband. - passfield resident (20th Jan 2021 - 20:35:24) Dawn-your tone has changed since you have learned that the target has been reached-now you don't seem quite so concerned for the community as a whole. I checked with BT-we would have to pay higher monthly charges for full fibre and BT say we will get it within a few years in any case.

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