A government broadband scheme set up to provide a faster broadband service helped to make over 600 connections benefiting Dorset businesses and residents.
The national Better Broadband Voucher Scheme was created by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in December 2015 as a solution for those located in some of the hardest to reach areas. It provided up to £350 to those unable to access a broadband service with a download speed of at least 2 Megabits per second (Mbps) and were unable to benefit from the superfast broadband roll out.
Industry experts are now urging homes and businesses in need of faster connections to consider taking up one of the two other government grant schemes.
Dugald Lockhart, Programme Manager, Superfast Dorset said: “You can look at our website to find out if you qualify and how to apply for the two other government grant schemes still running.
“If you are interested in a voucher then discuss this with your neighbours, our experience is they work best when communities pull together. The good news is you don’t need to worry about which scheme is right for you. Just register your interest now with your chosen supplier and they will check which scheme is best suited to you and your neighbours and then start the process to get you connected.”
Groups of homes and businesses can benefit from the Rural Gigabit Connectivity Scheme where those who qualify come together and claim up to £3,500 per business and £1,500 per home towards a gigabit-capable (1,000 Mbps) broadband connection, using these vouchers requires a service of at least 30Mbps to be taken.
The Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme is also available, where businesses can claim up to £2,500 against the cost of gigabit-capable internet connections, residents can benefit from a £500 voucher on this scheme too if they are part of a group project which also includes businesses.
How do the vouchers work?
- Find a registered supplier and sign up for a gigabit capable connection.
- Your supplier requests a voucher from government. They check you are happy to go ahead by email.
- Your supplier gets to work to deliver your new connection.
- Connected! Your supplier lets government know the work is done.
- Government checks with you by email that the service is live and working.
- Government will sometimes make further checks before they pay your supplier.
For more information visit: www.superfastdorset
Our village has been told that Fast Broadband was expected to be available to Milton on Stour (South) at the end of January 2020 but nothing else has been said. The poles for this were in place last May. Could you please give us a monthly update of what is going on and when we could no expect to be connected.
You need to get it sorted on portland sometimes no internet everybody was complaining we pay a lot of money for it .
We are eligible for the voucher- I registered- but it still remains that there are no suppliers willing to connect us . We have download speeds of less than 2 and upload about 0.6.
We do not have neighbours who will group together! DT6 5JH
I haven’t noticed any change!
Did you apply to the Better Broadband Scheme yourself when it was running?