COLUMN: Removing the ‘not spots’ in 2024
“I thought I would use my last MyWelshpool column of the year to update you on the work that is being done to improve mobile and broadband in mid Wales. Throughout my time as your local representative in the Senedd, I have been involved in campaigning for better broadband and mobile connectivity for Montgomeryshire. Although good progress has been made, there is more work to do.
Craig Williams MP and I have been supporting plans for 16 new mobile masts across Montgomeryshire. These Emergency Services Network masts are the new 4G critical communications system for Britain’s emergency services.
Key infrastructure is being delivered by EE through upgrades to its existing network of around 19,000 masts and building approximately 700 more 4G masts. In addition, the Home Office is supplementing this by building 292 masts to give the emergency services 4G mobile network coverage in some of the most rural and remote parts of Britain. This will mean significantly improved mobile connectivity for us in Mid Wales.
The UK Government is funding upgrades to Emergency Services Network sites to enable mobile network operators to provide commercial mobile coverage as part of the Shared Rural Network programme. The infrastructure is part of the world-first Shared Rural Network programme between the UK Government and the UK’s four mobile network operators which will see 4G coverage boosted to 95% across Wales. The programme will also allow us in Mid Wales to access competing mobile contracts, with coverage boosted for all major network providers.
Progress on all the new masts is going well, five have already been brought online which are located in the Y Fan, Llanidloes, Old Hall Llanidloes, Llangynog, Staylittle and Llanrhaedr-ym-Mochnant, with the further 11 coming online throughout 2024. To see where these are located, and what dates they are expected to go live, visit Better Broadband & Mobile | Russell George
When it comes to broadband, we in mid Wales are often last to benefit from upgrades to services and there are many hard to reach areas across our rural communities.
I met with Openreach several times during 2023 who emphasised their commitment to bringing ultrafast broadband to communities across mid Wales. Openreach outlined to me their commitment to the full fibre broadband expansion in Powys. They also introduced me to the new Subtended Headend Exchange technology, which extends the Full Fibre network to isolated areas and is being deployed by Openreach.
Significant progress is being made, with many more homes now able to access good broadband speeds, but many homes in Powys still suffer from poor connection. Within Montgomeryshire, 89% of premises can now access superfast broadband speeds, with 52% having access to gigabit-capable broadband.
I am regularly in contact with Building Digital UK which is the UK Government department responsible for the roll out of gigabit-capable broadband and they have updated me on the rollout of ‘Project gigabit’ across Montgomeryshire and on the recent news of Broadway Group entering administration.
I have been assured that areas which have already been identified as having voucher priority status, and which have not yet been connected, will remain eligible for UK Government funding.
Project Gigabit is a £5 billion UK government infrastructure project aimed at delivering fast and reliable gigabit-capable broadband to homes and businesses in the hardest-to-reach parts of the UK. This replaces the Welsh Governments Superfast Cymru scheme.
Residents and businesses in Kerry, Llanbrynmair and Tregynon and Berriew are the first areas in Montgomeryshire to be able to apply for free Gigabit vouchers worth £4,500, which will be used by Openreach towards building an Ultrafast Full Fibre network within these areas. More can be found here: https://www.openreach.com/news/ultrafast-broadband-chance-for-people-living-in-tregynon-llanbrynmair--kerry-in-powys/
Accessing funding does not cost anything for individual properties but does mean a minimum term of 12 months with a chosen supplier. Over 1,100 properties could have access improved as a result of this great scheme.
Significant progress has been made throughout 2023, but more needs to be done. I will certainly be keeping up the pressure in 2024 to improve mobile and broadband provisions across mid Wales.”
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