Devon and Somerset UK Issue July 2022 Airband FTTP Build Update

The Connecting Devon and Somerset (CDS) project and UK ISP Airband have today issued a new July 2022 update on their Phase 2 contract to deploy a gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network across the region, which has so far covered 2,500 premises in hard to reach rural areas.

The work largely reflects Airband’s ongoing contract with the provider, which stems from the £25.5m Phase 2 CDS deal for 37,500 premises (here). Prior to that, they were also working on a separate Fibre Extension Programme (FEP) contract for c.6,200 premises, but it’s unclear if that has now completed (here). Work on the current Phase 2 contract is expected to complete by the end of 2024.

In terms of the latest build developments, access to Airband’s live full fibre network is now available in the Cheddon Fitzpaine area of Taunton in Somerset, as well as premises in some areas of Exminster, Kenn, Kennford, Kenton, Powderham, Starcross, Teignmouth and Tiverton. We’ve also got a summary of the next areas to benefit, across different stages of build.

Airband’s Deployment Progress to July 2022

➤ Splicing and testing of fibre is being carried out in Bathpool, Bishops Lydeard, Calverleigh, Cotford St Luke, Cruwys Morchard, Monkton Heathfield, Nomansland, Norton Fitzwarren, Puddington, Staplegrove, north west Taunton, Tiverton, Tolland, West Monkton and Withleigh.

➤ Build is due to be completed in the coming weeks in Bere Alston, Clovelly, Crapstone, Hartland, Langtree, Lewtrenchard, Lifton, Milton Abbot, Milton Combe, Powderham, Starcross and Tavistock, as well as remaining contracted areas of Exminster, Kenn, Kenton, Powderham and Starcross.

➤ Build is also underway in Abbotsham, Ashcombe, Berry Pomeroy, Bishopsteignton, Bradninch, Butterleigh, Collaton St Mary, Crowcombe, Cullompton, east of Tiverton, Halberton, Higher Blagdon, Holcombe, Sampford Peverell, Stogumber, parts of Taunton, parts of Teignmouth, Totnes and West Bagborough.

➤ Network design work is being carried out in Abbotskerswell, Axminster, Bishops Hull, Blackpool Corner, Buckfastleigh, Budleigh Salterton, Churchill, Cockwood, Colaton Raleigh, Combpyne, Clyst St Mary, Dartington, parts of Dartmouth, Dawlish Warren, Dean Prior, East Budleigh, Farringdon, Galmpton, Hatch Beauchamp, Henlade, Higher Batson, Holcombe, Hope Cove, parts of Kingsteignton, Knowle, Mamhead Park, Marsh Green, Newton Abbot, Salcombe, South Knighton, Staple Fitzpaine, parts of Stoke Fleming, Stoke St Mary, Teigngrace, Thurlestone, parts of Topsham, Totnes, Tytherleigh, West Buckland, West Hatch, and Wyke Green.

➤ Early engineering survey work has also begun in a number of communities including Alfington, Beaford, Beer, Colyton, Compton, Dainton, Gittisham, Marldon, and parts of Sidmouth.

The Director of Airband, Redmond Peel, said: “We have made good progress with the rollout so far and will always seek to speed up the rollout to areas in need wherever this is possible.” However, they’ll need to build faster than this in order to reach the contracted target on time, so we’ll be looking to see how much they’ve ramped-up their pace come the next update.

On top of that it’s worth noting that other operators, such as Openreach, Jurassic Fibre and Wildanet, also appear to be playing in some of the same areas as Airband (e.g. Totnes and Sidmouth), albeit as part of commercial deployments. At this stage, it’s still unclear how much overbuild will actually occur in such areas.

UPDATE 13th July 2022

It’s worth pointing out that any area listed as being “live” may not always translate to 100% coverage, which is a common issue with all network operators and deployments. Sometimes operators come back later to infill and hit near 100%, but other times they don’t, and only partial coverage exists.

For example, the central part of Cheddon Fitzpaine (e.g. TA2 5ZE), which is first on the list above, returns a result on Airband’s checker of “Sorry, we’re not in your area“. But postcodes at the edge of that area, such as TA2 8JU, do work.

However, the second catch here is that Airband’s website doesn’t yet allow people in the supposedly “live” postcode to place an order, instead it’s still at the “register your interest” stage (i.e. it’s not yet truly LIVE). We do wish these sorts of issues would be resolved before declaring an area live.