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Connecting Cumbria
Connecting Cumbria Newsletter February 2024
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Welcome to the February 2024 edition of the Connecting Cumbria newsletter.
This edition of the newsletter looks at conservation work between Cumbria Wildlife Trust and Fibrus, picks up on some of this month’s most frequently asked questions that we receive, provides an update on the Borderlands 5G Innovation Region Programme and talks to businesses from the Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness areas about how important connectivity is to them.
If you would like to see any specific topics covered in future editions of the Connecting Cumbria newsletter, or if you have any queries regarding connectivity in your area, then please forward these to the team at info@connectingcumbria.org.uk
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Two-year project to get Cumbria buzzing not buffering
Buzzing not Buffering
Conservation work to support Cumbria's bees and other pollinators is being helped by a partnership between Cumbria Wildlife Trust and Fibrus broadband as part of their delivery of the Project Gigabit Contract with UK Government.
Read more here [
].
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Are there any plans to improve broadband speeds in my area?
DIS
Project Gigabit delivery has commenced in Cumbria.
This £108m gigabit-capable broadband scheme will improve connectivity across our county.
Further details regarding deployment will be made available via the Hyperfast GB [
] website where you are now able to check the status of your property using the ‘check availability’ tab and Hyperfast GB Facebook page [
].
Alongside this, there is a strong commercial programme of works by a number of providers which will further enhance connectivity across our region.
To find out what is happening in your specific area, send your full postal address to info@connectingcumbria.org.uk
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I am looking for a new phone / broadband / TV deal – can you tell me what I should go for?
DIS Update
Whilst the team are unable to give any specific contractual advice, we are able to point readers in the direction of Ofcom support on this:
*Ofcom accredited price comparison sites* [
]*
*
*Choosing the best Broadband provider* [
]
*Broadband Speeds – What you need to know* [
]
*Switching Broadband Provider* [
]
*New Contract Checklist* [
]
*Managing Broadband costs* [
]
We also urge readers to remember that social tariffs, which are cheaper broadband and phone packages for people claiming Universal Credit, Pension Credit and some other benefits are available.
Some providers call them ‘essential’ or ‘basic’ broadband.
More information on these can be found here [
].
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The mobile service in my area does not meet my expectation, what is being done to improve this?
Mobile Connectivity
Mobile Network Operators and Government are working together to transform mobile coverage countywide through the UK Government Shared Rural Network mobile programme [
], which is seeking to deliver 95% geographical 4G coverage in the UK from at least one Mobile Network Operator by 2025.
The Connecting Cumbria team are committed to supporting this piece of work.
Keep up with all the latest developments on this here [
].
You can check current mobile connectivity in your area using the Ofcom mobile availability checker here [
].
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There are a number of providers operating on the road network across Cumbria at present, if I have any concerns regarding any aspect of this, where do I relay them?
Any issues in the Cumberland area should be reported via Report a problem with a street or road | Cumberland Council [
]
Any issues in the Westmorland and Furness area should be reported to Streets, roads and pavements | Westmorland and Furness Council [
]
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Borderlands 5G Innovation Region Programme
Ferry
Following the announcement that Borderlands has been named as one of the ten 5G Innovation Regions by UK Government, representatives from each of the five local authorities in England and Scotland which make up the Borderlands Partnership (Cumberland Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council, Northumberland County Council, Scottish Borders Council and Westmorland and Furness Council) continue to work to develop further the plan of works for five initial sites across the Borderlands area:
* Windermere 5G Ferry
* Kielder Castle and Forest
* Stranraer Marina
* The Sill @ Hadrian’s Wall
* Destination Tweed
These venues have been chosen because they can be delivered and replicated. The intention is to design into these use cases a range of options to ensure sustainability and encourage further commercialisation during delivery. Learning from these areas, especially with respect to commercial sustainability, will be used to demonstrate the benefits of the technology and support our strategy to roll out to more sites as part of our renewed Digital Infrastructure Strategy.
The full announcement can be read here [
].
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Howtown Hotel
Hotel
The Howtown Hotel on Ullswater has access to some of the fastest broadband speeds in Cumbria, after engineers found a low-tech solution to link them up with fibre.
The tourist hotspot had previously proven beyond the reach of high-speed fibre broadband. However, engineers from Openreach came up with a solution by hanging a fibre optic cable from specially built telephone poles.
Watch the video to find out how the hotel are using their improved broadband service here [
].
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The Business of Bathtime
BOB
Natural, handcrafted bath and self-care products lovingly made in Cumbria to help create some ‘me time’ is exactly what Cockermouth home-based ‘The Business of Bathtime’ makes available to customers near and far.
With an array of products available to purchase, this gem of a business really does provide something for everyone. We talked to Sarah Moore, the entrepreneur behind this business about how she uses her broadband service to support what she does.
Find out more here [
].
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Shout out to Cumbria based businesses
Megaphone
Are you a business in either the Westmorland and Furness or Cumberland areas using fixed line or mobile connectivity to support what you do?
We are really keen to talk to you about this with a view to creating our next case study story. Are you planning something special for Easter? We are particularly keen to feature visitor focused businesses in press activity for the easter school holidays.
If you would like to get involved, benefiting from local and possible national publicity through our programme, then please contact the team at info@connectingcumbria.org.uk.
We look forward to hearing from you.
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