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Gigaclear Progress in Fastershire area?

I sent a query asking about the Brookend build via the Fastershire website using a different e-mail address to my usual one, and they have replied:

"Gigaclear have been undertaking a redesign of the Lot 2/3c plan over the last few months and the main result of this has been a reconfiguration of their cabinet areas with some changing name, size and shape.
In general, the rollout in Forest of Dean is ongoing and to date, has largely concentrated in and around Tibberton, Highnam, Upleadon, Littledean and Cinderford, but a secondary backhaul access has been connected at Beachley to enable Gigaclear to work from south to north as well.
As a result of the redesign we now understand that your property will be connected via POT 313 to the ‘Stroat Chepstow (South West)’ cabinet. Fastershire is now working with Gigaclear to update the Fastershire website with this latest information as soon as possible. However, the new design predicts a build start of June 2020 for this cabinet."

It will be interesting to see the new reconfigured areas, and whether the build really does start in June. Even if it does I expect that the build will be finished about the same time as I retire and no longer need superfast broadband.
 
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They have come back via email.

I don't have any dates, just "please keep an eye on the website", but have been given POT number 0617 in the "new network build area now known as Huntley, Gloucester (South West)."
 
That's interesting. It seems they are changing a lot of the areas - I can't say that I'm comforted by them changing their plans radically after 3 years. They were due to deliver new plans by the end of Jan 2019, and I'm guessing those plans are finally (almost?) ready.
They still have works listed on one.network around Mitcheldean until mid May, but I can't see any other works that would suggest anything else is going to happen anytime soon.
 
It's always good to see some progress. There is more work shown on one.network around Longhope and Mitcheldean until May, but I can't find any other work planned after that.
 
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Well, another six weeks with little change - there are still works shown around Mitcheldean until mid-June, but nothing I can find anywhere else.
My local Parish Council has had no notification of any work (it is a contractual obligation that Parish Councils are advised some weeks before work commences).
However, Fastershire have now put their Broadband Strategy 2019-2022 document online. It has been reformatted a little since the draft from Dec 2019, but I've not found any substantive changes.
The Fastershire checker still says work in my area will start Q1 2020, which may well still happen as soon as they develop a time machine.
 
I had a response from Fastershire today - they have updated their address checker with the latest dates from Gigaclear. Many of the areas have changed - My property has moved from "Brookend" to "Stroat Chepstow" with a start date of Q3 2020. That ties in with the last info I had from Fastershire, but contradicts the info from Gigaclear when I spoke to them a couple of weeks ago - they hadn't heard of the "Stroat Chepstow" area, and claimed I was still in "Brookend", and that the plans were still in design and would go to the validation stage sometime. Gigaclear's website still shows the originally planned areas.
Nothing showing on one.network though (cutting it fine for a Q3 start!) - only works continuing around Mitcheldean until the end of July.
 
We have a build start of Q1 2021 now on the Fastershire website, in “Huntley” area.

... ah well, just committed to another 12 months of 4G so hopefully a good chance of switching over then and not paying twice.
 
I notice that some Gigaclear works to the west of Coleford have now appeared on one.network. Still nothing south of Coleford at all.
 
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Today I noticed that a lot of planned works have appeared in Beachley, Sedbury and Tutshill for Nov & Dec. These areas were due to start Q1 2021, so it looks as if they will start a little early.
However, there is nothing for my area (Stroat) which is due to start Q3 2020. I spoke to build care, and they confirmed that there is currently no work planned in my area for this year.
I assume that once the Tutshill build is complete they will start the neighboring Woodcroft area, and after that the Stroat area - so I expect the build in my area to start Q2/Q3 2021.
 
Planned works for the Woodcroft are have now appeared on one.network for the period 4thJan to 4th Feb 21. This area is listed on Fastershire's website as due to start on Q2 2020, so looks to be another 9 month slip from the published dates.
 
Today works have appeared on one.network for parts of Woolaston in the Netherend build area - Gigaclear will be making trial holes in several areas. Not only is this just a few weeks since the roads were all resurfaced, but all the properties nearby already have FTTC >60Mbps available. Still no visible plans for the Stroat build area where most properties are sub-USO.
 
I have seen the survey and measurement teams out a fair bit over the last two weeks. Mainly on the A48, at Stroat Church lay-by, and in the Hanley (?) farm shop on the other side of the road. I then saw the same teams going up past my place on park hill road.
 
Good, that hopefully means the build will finally start within a few months. It is hard to judge progress as the areas listed on the Gigaclear website have changed, and the new Stroat and Netherend areas aren't listed. I guess the old Brookend area has been split so that they can cover all of Woolaston in their Netherend build - the Fastershire website shows the village addresses as getting FTTP even though they got FTTC 5 years ago.
 
Good, that hopefully means the build will finally start within a few months. It is hard to judge progress as the areas listed on the Gigaclear website have changed, and the new Stroat and Netherend areas aren't listed. I guess the old Brookend area has been split so that they can cover all of Woolaston in their Netherend build - the Fastershire website shows the village addresses as getting FTTP even though they got FTTC 5 years ago.
Lol, I have also just twigged where you are by your username :)

It has taken a while for the penny to drop :)

anyway, the survey teams have been out again, they were measuring up the verges from the woolaston inn to the picnic area yesterday...
 
Lol, I have also just twigged where you are by your username :)

:) I contacted the build care team again today to check for any update - they tell me that they are still in validation phase, but hope to complete that by the end of the year. The Stroat build should then take 12-18 months.
Of course, they were in design/validation 4 years ago, and have missed every start date they have set so far...
BTW interestingly, they told me that their website has had no updates (still showing the old build areas that no longer exist) because Fastshire don't want them to.
 
Surprisingly, Gigaclear have now updated their website with maps showing the revised build areas. Very different to the previous maps. No dates though.
 
Hurrah! Some progress - Fastershire have an online meeting scheduled for the Stroat & Woodcroft areas on 16th December. Hopefully we'll hear about the plans then.
 
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