Residents in an idyllic Worcestershire village have become the latest rural community to benefit from multi million pound superfast broadband investment. The superfast broadband project seeks to tackle Worcestershire’s digital divide, bringing a boost to the local economy.
Worcestershire County Council’s broadband team has worked with partners Openreach to enable a more reliable and future-proofed full fibre broadband to be provided.
Councillor Marc Bayliss, Cabinet Member for Economy, Infrastructure and Skills, said: “Bentley Pauncefoot Parish Council reached out to the team from Superfast Worcestershire to carry out much needed improvements to the parish’s internet connectivity. Openreach has now installed ‘gold standard’ internet connectivity across the Parish. It means residents have access to the very best, and fastest, internet connectivity available. Even the most remote properties can now enjoy internet service up to 1Gbps.”
Worcestershire County Councillor Kit Taylor said, “It is good to see the benefits of the hard work by Worcestershire County Council's Connectivity Team working with Bentley Pauncefoot Parish Council and Openreach to provide a reliable and high speed service across the parish.”
Roz Bewsher, Chair of Bentley Pauncefoot Parish Council, said: “I believe we have repaid the faith Worcestershire County Council's Connectivity Team and Openreach placed in us by the high take up of the service. It has taken a lot longer than we would have wished, and a lot of effort from the Parish Council and residents willing to act as ‘bid leaders’ across the Parish, but I am extremely proud that we have achieved something that is so critical to our residents.”
Bentley Pauncefoot is a very small rural Parish, in the Redditch area of the county with properties spread out over a wide area.
For years, residents here have struggled with some of the worst internet speeds in the Country, let alone Worcestershire. The highest speed most ‘enjoyed’ was just 1Mbps.
The Coronavirus pandemic only highlighted the parish’s internet problems During lockdown this meant no zoom calls, no joining in family on-line quizzes or streaming films in glorious HD or 4K.
Some residents had no service whatsoever, their misery compounded by being in a mobile black spot too. Their only option before the was extremely expensive satellite internet.
Superfast Worcestershire is a programme created to bring Superfast broadband to 97% of homes and businesses in the county. The network aims to transform broadband speeds across Worcestershire, especially its rural areas. More information visit the dedicated Superfast Worcestershire Programme on the County Council website.
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