A public consultation is being launched today (Wednesday 6 April) to kickstart the next stage in the rollout of superfast broadband in Devon and Somerset.
Connecting Devon and Somerset (CDS), the partnership delivering the high speed programme, is starting the process to award a contract – or contracts- by the Autumn for the remainder of the second phase of the superfast roll out programme across the region.
Once the consultation has been completed by late May and responses incorporated, it will then be submitted to Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) for clearance. The consultation document highlights the areas for the second phase roll out which will require infrastructure with the potential to deliver speeds of 30 Mbps and above.
The public, businesses, internet service providers and broadband network providers will now be able to comment on the area that is being proposed for publicly funded support for superfast broadband infrastructure development as part of the second phase of the Connecting Devon & Somerset programme.
The remainder of the second phase programme will require State Aid approval from the EU and BDUK has advised this is now likely to be June rather than April that had been previously indicated by BDUK. This is because BDUK is negotiating a new National Broadband scheme for the UK, including the CDS second phase, which is pushing for the need to optimise the number and quality of bidders, helping reduce the hurdles to participation in procurements by smaller suppliers. The State aid rules require using public funding only to extend broadband coverage in geographic areas where there is no commercial case for investment.
CDS is confident that 1,000 residences on Dartmoor will have access to wireless superfast broadband in the next few weeks, as part of the National Parks programme. Planning applications have also been submitted for Exmoor and are now going through public consultation.