The community Fibre GarDen (Digital Dales) project, which aims to build a new fibre optic (FTTP) based superfast broadband network to help connect rural homes in Garsdale and Dentdale (Cumbria, England), has signed a new Memorandum of Understanding with the ITS Technology Group to help build, deliver and manage the service.
The project last year became one of the first to be provisionally awarded funding of £157,500 under the £20m Rural Community Broadband Fund (here), which has since hit somewhat of a roadblock due to the refusal of BT and local authorities to release the required broadband speed and coverage data (needed in order to avoid network overbuilding).
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Never the less Fibre GarDen claims to be “well on the way” to reaching their required funding target of £225,000 via a share offer, which they believe will “secure the super-fast fibre optic broadband project for both Garsdale and Dentdale“.
Lisa Harding, Account Director at ITS Technology, said:
“This is very much a community project and ITS Technology Group are delighted to be working in partnership with such a dedicated and passionate team at Fibre GarDen. We are looking forward to helping all the residents of Garsdale and Dentdale finally gain access to resilient, high-speed and cost effective broadband.”
Tony Roberts, Financial Director and Secretary of Digital Dales, said:
“The Fibre GarDen project has been one of the most exciting, time consuming but rewarding community projects that I have been involved in. Three years of hard work by all members, past and present, of the original Steering Group and then the newly formed Community Co-operative of Digital Dales (UK) Limited, has been well worth it. We are delighted to have been able to form this close partnership with ITS, who through a competitive tendering process, demonstrated the vast range of skills and experience they can bring to the project to ensure its long term success.”
Today’s development represents significant progress but the next stage, which will involve physically building the Fibre-to-the-Premise (FTTP) broadband connectivity to “every property throughout Garsdale and Dentdale” (525 premises), is the real test.
UPDATE 7th January 2014
The share offer has successfully raised £155,000 of funds, which will be supported by an investment of £70,000 from ITS Technology to help achieve the primary funding target of £225,000.
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A Fibre GarDen update said, “This means that the finance required to build a super fast fibre optic network throughout Garsdale and Dentdale has been raised and Fibre GarDen is in a position to proceed. The next phase of the project will be to complete discussions with DEFRA and the Connecting Cumbria Project in order to sign off contracts and confirm a build programme.”
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