Call Flow Extend BDUK Hybrid Broadband Pilot to Privett in Hampshire

Internet provider Call Flow Solutions has won an extension to their on-going pilot of a new hybrid fibre optic and wireless broadband network in rural Hampshire (England), which means that around 200 additional premises in the small village of Privett should also benefit from the service.

The original plan, which is being funded by £1,194,145 from the Government’s Broadband Delivery UK programme, targeted approximately 1,500 premises in several communities including those of Bramdean, Ropley, Bighton, Gundleton (about 278 of the premises are also stuck on the dreaded Exchange Only Lines).

Some 11.5% of the premises were due to be covered by a fixed wireless access service, while 27.5% would benefit from Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) and 61% from Sub-Loop Unbundled solutions (e.g. Fibre-to-the-Cabinet – FTTC). The design for this has anticipated coverage of between 95% and 100% of the project area.

The good news is that a further £119,400 of funding has now been committed to help cover another 200 premises in the telephone exchange area of Privett, with deployment now anticipated to commence in July 2015 and run until March 2016 (end date for public funding).

ISPreview.co.uk notes that BDUK will then need to make a decision about their future coverage and funding plans to close the UK’s remaining superfast broadband (24Mbps+) not-spots before 2020.