Call Flow On-Target to Complete Pilot Broadband Network in Hampshire

Call Flow Solutions looks set to complete the expanded roll-out of their Government supported “superfast” (30Mbps+) hybrid fibre optic and wireless broadband network in rural Hampshire (England) by March 2016 as planned, with Monkwood, Beauworth, Privett and Preshaw nearly all about to go live.

The project, which was one of several Broadband Delivery UK pilots, is supported by £1,258,560 of state aid and aims to benefit around 1,610+ premises in the rural communities of Bramdean, Brockwood, Ropley, West Tisted, Gundleton, Bighton, Monkwood, Beauworth, Privett and Preshaw. Some communities, such as Privett, were part of an expansion that was announced last year.

Overall approximately 11.5% of the premises are being covered by a Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) network, while 27.5% will benefit from Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) and 61% from a Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC) based Sub-Loop Unbundled solution. Around 300 of the above premises were previously stuck on the dreaded Exchange Only Lines (EOL).

Andy Conibere, Call Flow’s Managing Director, said (here):

“Over the last year we have designed and implemented a bespoke internet network that is now delivering superfast broadband to the areas of Bramdean, Ropley, Gundleton and Bighton. Being able to bring superfast broadband to the residents in rural villages with the lowest broadband speeds is something we have been doing for over five years.”

Further details on the deployment can be found in this BDUK Feasibility update from December 2015, although the Government has already deemed Call Flow’s project and related pilots to have been largely successful (here).

The focus will now start turning towards the question of how much support such networks are likely to receive for a future expansion into more areas, which could in part depend upon the Government’s forthcoming EU state aid agreement (here) and possibly also the scope of their proposed Broadband Investment Fund (here).

Not to mention that local authorities, many of which tend to be quite risk averse and thus prefer BT-based projects for their financial security, may also have some influence. However there are some areas where even BT can struggle to reach, particularly when faced with limited state aid support and a restrictive time-scale (e.g. Devon and Somerset).