MP Victoria Atkins chairs broadband summit in Parliament

Fighting for improved broadband provision has long been a major campaign for the MP, and this summit is the latest push for better connectivity throughout the whole constituency.

Louth and Horncastle is the most rural constituency in Lincolnshire, and has historically fallen well below the national average number of households able to access 
superfast broadband speeds.

Over the last four years, significant steps have been taken to redress this balance and Ms Atkins said she is ‘committed’ to building on this further.

Ms Atkins said: “I was pleased to chair a positive meeting with Openreach, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and our County Council broadband delivery manager to discuss the current status of operational upgrades and the next stream of funding.

“The major challenge in Louth and Horncastle continues to be the rurality of many of our villages, but I am 
encouraged that Openreach and DCMS are devising strategies to make remote areas more commercially viable 
and economical to upgrade.”

The Government is introducing a Universal Service Obligation (USO), giving everyone in the UK access to speeds of at least 10 Mbps by 2020, up to a reasonable cost threshold.

Businesses and residents in the UK are also being urged to make use of the Government’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme which can provide businesses with up to £2,500 funding to contribute to a gigabit capable provision, and £500 for up to ten surrounding residential properties, per business connected.

The £67 million scheme was initially expected to run until March 2021, but high demand for vouchers means that funds are now expected to be committed a year earlier.

Visit https://gigabitvoucher.culture.gov.uk for details.

In addition, the Better Broadband Voucher Scheme means businesses and residents currently receiving less than 2Mbps can apply for a voucher, up to the value of £350 per connection, to receive a basic broadband connection with speeds above 10Mps. The scheme is currently due to run until the end of 2019, so DCMS is urging residents/businesses to check whether they are eligible.

Lastly, in 2018 the Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review outlined plans to ensure that the country’s broadband infrastructure is fit for the future.

The Rural Gigabit Connectivity Programme is the first step, with funding coming from the National Productivity Investment Fund. The £200 million will 
trial models for local hubs in rural areas, starting with primary schools, alongside a voucher scheme for funding full fibre connectivity to nearby premises.Ms Atkins is encouraging residents in areas of poor provision to form Community Action Groups, and she would like to hear from those who are interested.

If you are a resident in an area where broadband speeds are poor and know others in your area who would be interested in forming a community action group, email [email protected].