Posted: 16th Dec, 2009 By: MarkJ

ISP
Vtesse Networks has announced plans to deploy a super-fast fixed wireless broadband trial in rural Wiltshire. The first community to be served will be Chapel Plaister, a "
Final Third" hamlet near Corsham. Further communities in the area may be added as the trial progresses.
The "
Final Third" was coined in the Government’s June
Digital Britain report to describe the one third of the population who are, for economic and technical reasons, unlikely ever to be able to receive broadband service above the universal service pledge (USC) of 2Mbps unless there is regulatory change and Government intervention.
Aidan Paul, Chief Executive of Vtesse, said:
"The Government’s Digital Britain report usefully identified the problems of broadband deployment to the Final Third of the population where competition alone may not provide speeds that meet or exceed 2Mbits per second, and where investment in fast broadband infrastructure is unlikely to happen unassisted. We aim to explore the regulatory changes and Government support required to bring equitable and competitive levels of fast broadband service to rural settlements like Chapel Plaister.
It is important that we remember that the Final Third of the population are not only in rural areas. There are broadband “not-spots” and “slow-spots” spread around the country, in urban as well as rural areas. The Final Third comprises anyone on long telephone lines outside current cable TV footprints. These residents are unlikely to be able to benefit from even the basic service promised by the 2Mbits/second universal service commitment unless something is done to address the commercial issues."
The trials will commence in early 2010 and deliver a wireless broadband experience that should significantly exceed the Government’s 2012 universal service commitment of 2Mbps. It will also be used to help extend the reach of 3G Mobile Broadband services for devices like the Apple iPhone and Blackberry.
The results from the trial will be used by Vtesse to support applications for funding from the Government for the 2Mbps USC and also from the
Next Generation Broadband Fund (money from the controversial 50p tax on all fixed phone lines).