My Broadband speed - or lack of it!!!

I have just written to my MP to see if he can put some welly behind actions of Oxfordshire CC to get an improvement in our broadband speeds.

My current speeds are less than 0.5Mbps down and less than 0.4Mbps upload. This has been checked on various web sites of different ISPs including BT, Orange and Talktalk. I have also had a run-in with BT about the matter after they repeatedly sent me advertising bumph offering 'up to 20Mb broadband', but they were unable to offer any improvement.

Note to my MP

I have been doing some reading to try to get a handle on the 'broadband problem' in Banbury and more specifically why I cannot get better than 0.5Mbps!

First I found this:

"The Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) has met with BT and announced plans to improve the county's broadband internet access by bidding for UK government cash in December 2010. It's estimated that 1 in every 6 local homes receive poor broadband or no connection at all. Some 17% of the region experience speeds of less than 2Mbps and 90% of people live outside the main city of Oxford."

Then this:

"Broadband should be treated as a universal service – a basic requirement and right, just like electricity, gas and water.” - Tina Sommer, Federation for Small Businesses’ EU and International Affairs Chairman

We need to understand the position of Oxfordshire within a national context of Next Generation Access (NGA) broadband penetration. Work is being carried out to assist Oxfordshire County Council and its partners shape a realistic, viable and sustainable future broadband strategy underpinning Oxfordshire’s wider social, economic and business goals."

And I found the data about broadband speeds in my area. The charts are attached

1 A broad overview of the status of broadband in Oxfordshire. As you see the north of Banbury is poor



2 A zoom in to Banbury itself. Blue areas are 'Poor" speed ones



3 A very close look at my estate, again blue means 'Poor'. Just as I suspected the blue cloud has settled right over me!!!



Are you interested in this matter, and what can you do about getting a better service for the outlying areas of Banbury?

Best Regards

No one was thinking

I live in a new house (less than 5 years old). I am amazed that at the time no one considered that broadband should be a universal service like water, gas and electricity. I have got all those, neatly laid underground. But I don't have good broadband.

Now how to make a bigger noise about this???

I did find a report from the Oxford Times saying:

"COUNTY hall bosses have pledged to try and boost broadband access in Oxfordshire, as a Euro MP warned the lack of coverage posed ‘serious risks’ to businesses.

Oxfordshire County Council deputy leader David Robertson said the authority had met BT bosses and would bid for Government cash in December to extend coverage."

There's hope yet.