At the Suffolk Better Broadband conference in Bury St Edmunds earlier this month (two years after the need for better broadband was recognised), we were updated with the progress of the bid to provide decent broadband speeds across the whole of Suffolk. I was assured, by political leaders, county council executives and project coordinators, that the hard to reach areas with little or no service (such as Old Newton and Haughley Green) would be dealt with first.
Overall the plan is for the contracted supplier to begin work by the end of this year and entire project is expected to be completed by March 2015. The conference heard that the hard to reach areas would be addressed within the first six months of the contract (ie: by June 2013 at the latest) and the other easier to reach areas would follow. We were told the coverage would be a combination of technologies and may involve existing providers.
More immediately, residents of Haughley may have noticed work going on in the village including the installation of a new telecoms cabinet on Windgap Lane. This is part of the upgrade to the Stowmarket exchange that will, in the next few months, lead to an improvement in fixed broadband services in Haughley and hopefully beyond. We are told that this work has been brought forward due to local pressure.
When the upgrade is complete, retail providers will be advised and will then contact their customers with news of any changes or upgrades in service.
The Suffolk Better Broadband team are still asking if residents could complete their survey (www.suffolk.gov.uk/broadband ) as the more people that complete this, the more the suppliers will see the demand and want to invest in the project. If you haven’t already completed it, the deadline is 31st March.
Rachel Eburne 
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