[C]hristmas has come early for people living and working in the rural community of Nether Wasdale as superfast fibre broadband has arrived in the village, thanks to Connecting Cumbria.
Around 20 homes and businesses in the village, which sits near the base of Scafell Pike – England’s tallest mountain – now have access to the high-speed, fibre technology. A further 30 premises in nearby Santon Bridge have also been upgraded by engineers from Openreach, the business responsible for Britain’s largest phone and broadband network.
Planning and surveying is also underway to upgrade further premises to the North of Santon Bridge during 2018.
Today, the latest Connecting Cumbria investment was welcomed by Trudy Harrison, MP for Copeland, who officially unveiled the new fibre broadband cabinet outside The Strands Hotel.
She said: “The arrival of Super-fast fibre broadband in Nether Wasdale is fantastic news, especially for local residents and surrounding businesses.
“In a rural area such as Copeland, being better connected is imperative and the introduction of superfast broadband will make a huge difference in helping businesses to stimulate growth, whilst at home, residents will be able to get online with faster speeds and using multiple devices.”
David Southward, Cumbria County Council’s Cabinet member responsible for economic development, added: “The value of fast broadband connections to businesses and homes in the county cannot be overstated. I really can’t emphasise enough how important technology is for business and for our local economy. It is no longer a ‘nice to have’ it is a ‘must have’ and I’d encourage anyone who can to place an order with their chosen service provider and take advantage of the benefits.”
Councillor for Gosforth, Paul Turner, added: “It’s great to see Connecting Cumbria has now brought superfast broadband to the Nether Wasdale area. Bringing this technology into the most remote areas of our County provides a reliable and fast service which opens up opportunities for everyone.”
The benefits of faster broadband speeds are considerable for businesses, with many of those situated in this area serving the thousands of visitors who flock to the area every year. Businesses can access booking systems, update websites and utilise social networking sites faster and more effectively, saving both time and money.
Increased speeds are also of great value to local families. Everyone in the family can do their own thing online, all at the same time, whether it’s downloading music in minutes or watching catch-up TV; streaming HD or 3D movies in a few minutes; or posting photos and videos to social networking sites in seconds. It will also improve access to new job opportunities, and make it easier to shop around for cheaper services.
Darren Briggs, Openreach programme director for the North West, said: ““Reaching very rural communities such as Nether Wasdale can be a real challenge, but we are committed to making this exciting technology as widely available as possible.
“Connecting Cumbria continues to make great progress and we are determined to keep pushing further and further out to the most remote corners of the county so that they too can enjoy the benefits of faster broadband speeds.”
Connecting Cumbria is working hard to provide the best connectivity possible for areas not currently featured in the roll-out plans within the funding available.
