Broadband Leicestershire

Our broadband survey has now closed. Thank you very much to all those households and businesses that responded. We received over 4600 responses including 650 to our dedicated business survey. This information will help us understand where there is poor connectivity, demand for super-fast broadband and help in the prioritisation of our rollout in discussion with supplier. We will now analyse this data. Our aim to present a highlight report in mid/late May followed by a detailed report in June.

The internet is transforming the way that we live, work and play. It is driving business innovation and growth, is ensuring that people can access services, and is opening up new opportunities for creative learning.

Not all business and communities, however, are able to take advantage of these opportunities. Whilst some areas are able access super-fast broadband and a range of digital services, others struggle with the most basic of internet functions.

The rollout of super-fast broadband has principally been focused in urban areas where there is greatest commercial advantage. This leaves sparsely populated rural areas in the slow lane.

The Government aims to ensure that all of the UK has access to the best broadband connectivity in Europe by 2015. To help deliver this it has allocated a fund of £530m to 2015 with a further £300m indicatively allocated to 2017.

A further £20m has been allocated to establish a Community Broadband Fund as part of Defra’s Rural Development Programme for England. This will target connectivity issues in those most remote areas.

Though Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK), within the Department of Culture, Media and sport (DCMS), the Government is working with top-tier authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships to allocate available funding. This funding will be released on submission of an agreed strategy for broadband deployment within the County.

Broadband connectivity is emerging as a critical issue in Leicestershire.

It is estimated that c190,000 residents live within the Final Third. This is the area which is unlikely to experience the benefits of market-led connectivity improvements; it primarily includes areas within Harborough, Melton and parts of Hinckley and Bosworth districts.

Scattered across Leicestershire there are a number of areas that experience connectivity speeds of less than 2Mbits/s – so called Slow-Spots and Not-Spots

Maps showing locations of both of these definitions are available here.

View Leicestershire Broadband Connectivity Maps (PDF Format)

Our vision is to deliver super-fast broadband to all premises in Leicestershire by 2017. Initially we want to deliver to over 90% by 2015. In late February we submitted our revision plan to Government

To help achieve this the County Council has allocated £4m to match the Government’s £3m allocation for Leicestershire. A further £300k has been allocated to deploy better broadband in the most remote rural area

Through the Broadband Leicestershire programme we are working closely with public sector organisations, community groups and suppliers. This is being led by County Council’s Broadband “champion” – Mr. J.B. Rhodes CC. A welcome letter from Mr Rhodes is available here.

We submitted our outline broadband strategy to Government in late February. A summary is available by clicking on the link below.

Download the Broadband Strategy Document (PDF Format)

Deployment of super-fast broadband will commence later in 2013.

We are always keen to hear from communities and business. To discuss your local broadband issues please contact Matthew Kempson broadband@leics.gov.uk, 0116 305 6179)

We have compiled answers to some frequently asked questions on broadband and our rollout programme. These can be accessed here? We hope these are helful and would welcome your feedback. Do you have further questions we need to answer?

View the Broadband FAQ's (PDF Format)