Barkleys Broadband - Bringing Fibre to Fishponds

Aim

For Openreach to deliver a 50-80Mbps FTTC network to Barkleys Hill & environs

Barkleys Hill and the surrounding streets have one of slowest internet connections in Bristol with download speeds of 2Mb to 5Mb and compared to the 22Mb to 40Mb speeds provided to the surrounding area.

In June, we started a petition to improve the substandard internet connection on Barkleys Hill and the neighbouring streets of Little Parr Close, Baileys Mead Road and The Chine, in just a few days we’d reached 50 signatures and since then have past 100 signatures.

The BT Community Fibre Team have listened to us and we have now got a quote from BT Openreach to deliver a fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) network - which would give download speeds of 50- 80Mbps.

We would therefore urge residents and local businesses to support us by donating around £30, or whatever you can afford, to help us hit our goal.

The Barkleys Hill area is a community with many families and the slow speeds are surely putting a strain on households with the increase in mobile devices, streaming TV shows and sharing photos. Any resident trying to run a home business would struggle to keep an effective connection with the current speed levels.

We are fortunate to have a school in our cabinet area so BT have provided a grant covering 75% of the costs to help us but there is still some more money to be raised.

Once reached we can sign a contract with BT Openreach who plan to deliver the FTTC network within 12 months. This upgrade will cover all (or part) of the following streets Barkleys Hill, Linden House, Beech House, Baileys Mead Road, Little Parr Close, The Chine, Bell Hill, Brinkworthy Road, Stapleton Close, Estcourt Gardens, Frys Close, Stapleton Close, Lynn Road and Park Road.

When the FTTC network has been installed households will be able to contact their local Internet Service Provider (BT, Sky, TalkTalk, O2 etc) and request an upgrade or new contact for FTTC broadband - most ISP's will allow you to upgrade an existing service.  

Please be aware that your pledge money will not been taken until this funding campaign has been completed - we would need to raise all of the £1500 in order to progress with the FTTC upgrade. 

If we raise more than needed for the upgrade, then we will divide the remaining money between two local community projects - The Old Library Eastville and Friends of Eastville Park. 

If you have any concerns about where your money is going, would like proof of BT's commitment or would prefer to donate in cash then please do get in touch via [email protected] and we will be happy to help.

This project successfully funded on 19th November 2017