Keeping you up to speed with Superfast Essex

(update from Essex County Council)

www.superfastessex.org

The Superfast Essex story so far…

In August 2013 Essex County Council signed a contract with BT to improve broadband
coverage across greater Essex and this became the Superfast Essex programme. It is part of
a national government-led programme to improve broadband connectivity across the UK,
Superfast Britain, which the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) is coordinating
through a team called Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK).

BDUK, Essex County Council and BT are jointly investing £24.6m into the Superfast Essex
programme. As part of the programme, the Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) contract uses
public subsidy to complement and accelerate the broadband offering by commercial
operators.

The aim is to improve broadband coverage so that around 87 per cent of Essex has access to
fibre broadband by the end of 2016. We want to ensure that a minimum of 2Mbps download speed is available across Essex, and that the fibre  network – with the potential to provide superfast speeds of 24Mbps and  above – is extended as much as possible with the available funding.
 
What’s new?

Our new website is now live: Check it out at www.superfastessex.org We hope you will find
this redesigned site much more accessible and easier to navigate and find the information
you want and need to know.

 New features include:
 Postcode checker – find out the latest for your area
 A video about the fibre broadband rollout programme
 A comprehensive section answering Frequently Asked Questions.
 More information on the benefits of faster broadband at home and work
There is also an overview coverage map, events list, and background information about the
programme, as well as links to our Make the Connection Survey where you can also sign up
to have these programme updates e-mailed to you.

Delivery update: We are currently in the implementation stage for Phase One of the
programme and expect to launch the first new fibre-enabled cabinets in June. So keep an
eye on our website and Twitter feed for announcements on this.

New funding: In February, DCMS announced that additional grant funding has been
allocated to Essex to support an extension of the Superfast Essex Programme, allowing us to
reach even more premises in Essex. Essex County Council is currently reviewing the options
for taking this forward. We will publish updates on our website and in this newsletter when
they become available.

Superfast Facts

 You can help improve your own broadband speed simply by changing the way you are
connected at home or work.

 Nobody will automatically receive fibre broadband once it is enabled. Once a cabinet is
installed in your area and it is connected to the exchange this means the fibre is now live
and ready for service. However, you will need to contact your Internet Service Provider
(ISP) to find out what services and speeds are available to you and ask to switch to fibre.
You may have to switch your package or change your internet service provider to get a
faster connection if your current one does not provide fibre broadband services.

 If you haven’t already found us, we are live on Twitter. Follow us and join the conversation - @SuperfastEssex. A link to our Twitter feed is available on our website.

This Programme Update was produced by the Superfast Essex Team at Essex County Council
Contact: Make.theConnection@essex.gov.uk