hello Mark
i have now received an update from OpenReach
revised cost is
£244k for 133 houses. Interesting they are saying they will do all the houses so not really sure i bothered knocking on 80 houses !
we are consider rural so each house would get £1500 + 1 x business at £3500 , so we could raise £205k
what is the process to kick this off and can it be centrally managed or does every household have to apply for the vouchers
looking for good practices to copy
thanks
john
I’ve just overseen 71 properties provided with FTTP in a very remote valley in Snowdonia. A few points I picked up over the two years it took to get from the BT engineers plan to completion of the FTTP.
In no particular order
1. BT openreach received £119,000 via Gigabit Vouchers as the top up they required to subsidise their standard cost model.
2. 41 householders and businesses agreed to take part, obtain a voucher, and take the qualifying (rather expensive) 12 month contract (in our case a 24 month term was cheaper).
3. The 30 householders not taking a voucher still have the infrastructure provided. Some of 30 householders had applied for a voucher but their application was declined for various reasons.
4. Our original estimates from BT varied wildly. I managed to obtain a copy of the BT Engineers scheme drawings showing the proposed infrastructure. With that we managed to remove 2 properties requiring an additional 20 new telegraph poles. This brought the cost down within our voucher value.
5. The infrastructure when provided is not brought into the home. The scheme brings the fibre as far as the nearest Connection Point - usually the nearest telegraph pole. In our scheme the fibre cable was run along existing telegraph poles. One or two trenches and ducts were required.
6. BT Openreach cost model is, to say the least opaque, Ofcom should take an interest. Effectively in rural areas they are the monopoly provider self dig schemes apart which are very labour intensive and not practical where we are.
7. Make sure everyone who signs up knows the monthly cost of the contract. You really don’t want people changing their mind after signing up.
8. You will need a legal entity representing the Community. BT will not deal with individuals as far as the build contract is concerned. I drew up a very short statement for each applicant to indemnify the legal entity (CIC) against their failure to complete the voucher process or failure to take the qualifying contract.
9. Once the infrastructure is complete each voucher holder can take a qualifying contract from the ISP of their choice. Those that did not join the scheme can also secure a full fibre contract - but have no restrictions on contract term or speed.
10. You need someone who understands the scheme to draw up the necessary information sheets and forms for households to sign.
11. Don’t forget to allow for future building plots, barn conversions in the scheme. It is almost impossible to get BT to add properties into the scheme once the scheme has been drawn
Hope that background helps