Speedier broadband reaching new Shropshire areas but many still miss out

About 7,500 homes will get faster internet speeds in the next year, including Bishops Castle, Bromfield, Calverhall, Cressage, Ditton Priors, Dudleston Heath, Ellesmere, Hodnet, Knockin, Munslow, Norton, Seifton and Worfield.

But campaigners have warmed that hamlets and farms in the rural area around the upgraded exchanges may still be too far away to receive faster internet speeds - and they said about a third of the county is still not included in plans to upgrade.

Shropshire Council and BDUK (Broadband Delivery UK, part of the Department Culture, Media and Sport) are jointly investing around £16 million of public money to improve broadband network services across the county as part of the Connecting Shropshire scheme. BT is investing £8.6m towards the deployment in "non-commercial" areas.

Andy Boddington, Shropshire councillor for Ludlow North said: "Its good news that Bromfield will be included in the superfast broadband roll out from spring 2015.

"But we should be clear that this service will be only be available to the main village, not the remote hamlets and farms in Bromfield.

"The superfast connections that are planned will be from a single cabinet in the village.

"That will serve businesses such as the Food Centre well, but it is unlikely to be much help to people who struggle to get any internet connection at all on the farms and hamlets towards the Mortimer Forest, Whitbatch and High Walton.

"We all rely on broadband for business, education and entertainment. In the near future, we are also likely to rely on the internet for healthcare.

"We must put more effort into mobile broadband to connect those remoter settlements that copper and fibre broadband will never reach."

Patrick Cosgrove, spokesman for Shropshire and Marches Campaign for Better Broadband, agreed. He said: "I'm delighted for the people who get it, because it will make their life easier at a stroke.

"But the big question mark is, once the green cabinet goes live, how far does the benefit go down the line? There may be people expecting to get 'uplift', as they call it, who actually get very little."

He added that some parts of the county were still not included in the roll-out plans and said that with Shropshire Council expected to make a decision on the second phase of roll out this autumn, it was essential they "get it right".

Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council Cabinet member responsible for broadband, said: "So far over 19,000 homes and businesses across 25 exchange areas have seen fibre broadband become available to them through the programme and as we continue to build, even more will be connected.

"The map and line checker are important resources that allow people to see where they fit into the programme and whether they are in an area where faster fibre broadband is already available.

A map of current plans and availability of high speed broadband in exchange areas can be found at www.connectingshropshire.co.uk/when-and-where/