First Prices and Packages for Swindon’s Wireless Broadband Network

The Superfast Swindon project in Wiltshire (England), which last month revealed the initial roll-out areas for UKB Networks controversial new 4G fixed wireless superfast broadband service (details), has now confirmed the first supporting ISPs and package prices for local residents.

The £1.9m state aid supported contract aims to roll-out a “superfast” (24Mbps+ capable) 4G fixed wireless network to 19,500 premises (13,000 in rural areas) in North Swindon and, despite plenty of opposition, the new service has today gone live with the first official (non-trial) installations.

At launch the network is available to around 6,000 premises in areas that currently have very poor broadband speeds, with homes in Highworth, Central Swindon, Old Town, West Swindon and East Swindon being among the first to benefit. More will follow over the next few months (see the link in our first paragraph).

Some five ISPs are providing services over UKBN’s network, although one has yet to make their packages public and another (CCE) doesn’t yet appear to have a website of its own.

Swindon’s Fixed Wireless ISPs (Sample of the Cheapest Package)

* Swindon Wireless
Superfast Home 100 = £24 per month (100GB usage / 12 month contract / free setup)

* Relish
Home unlimited = £25 per month (Unlimited usage / 12 month contract / £99 setup)

* Cotswold Wireless
4G Broadband = £29.99 per month (Unlimited usage / 12 month contract / free setup)

* CCE
Home Lite = £20 per month (100GB usage / 12 months contract / free setup)

* Prestige Communications
No public packages yet.

We’ve only posted a sample of the cheapest available packages above, although you can also get various options with shorter contract terms, bigger usage allowances and other value-added extras, such as Static IP addresses and VoIP for Internet based calls. Different ISPs have different package options and prices.

Consumers can expect to receive download speeds of 24-50Mbps and upload performance of up to 5Mbps. Otherwise if the roll-out plan holds then the network should become available to at least 99.4% of the borough by the end of Summer 2016. Credits to Thinkbroadband for spotting the update.