Devon and Somerset’s 10Mbps Rural Broadband Vouchers Prove Popular

The Broadband Delivery UK programme has claimed that a new rural broadband voucher scheme (up to £500 per property) in Devon and Somerset, which has received over 1600 applications (1100 of those have been approved), is “shaping up to be one of the most successful in the country.”

The subsidy scheme, which was setup in April 2016 (here) and will run until March 2017, is designed to help those stuck on sub-2Mbps broadband speeds to get a 10Mbps or faster connection installed. The effort is broadly focused upon areas in the final 5-10% where the regional Connecting Devon and Somerset project has yet to benefit.

The scheme has adopted a technologically neutral approach and thus a number of recipients have used them to connect with a fixed wireless broadband service (e.g. Wessex Internet).

Jim Weir, Exmoor Technology (CDS Voucher Supplier), said:

“The CDS voucher scheme is one of the best in the country as it permits more suppliers to easily join and deliver a variety of services, offering the best solution for every property.

The rapid uptake of vouchers since the start of the programme and the increased numbers of providers wanting to be involved is testament to the hard work the CDS team has put into the scheme, and residents in Devon and Somerset are already seeing the results.”

Cllr Andrew Leadbetter, CDS Board Member, said:

“We have long recognised that connectivity between Devon and Somerset and the wider world is of paramount importance to our economic future. The success of the scheme highlights developments within the industry that present innovative and exciting opportunities in the delivery of broadband services.

Though there are other households and businesses out there on slow speeds who we need to encourage to make use of this opportunity and apply for the voucher scheme to get connected.”

It’s worth pointing out that any premises connected through the scheme are still eligible for later extensions of the broader CDS programme above (here), although this does perhaps risk some duplication of the public investment. The CDS programme hopes to select one or more suppliers for their Phase 2 roll-out programme by the end of 2016.

In the meantime disadvantaged locals can sign-up for the vouchers HERE.