Superfast broadband project 'set to boost' Gloucestershire and Herefordshire

Internet speeds in Gloucestershire could soon be significantly increased after a new initiative set up by the county council. The ‘Fastershire’ campaign is set up as a joint effort with both Gloucestershire and Herefordshire and is set to tackle slow broadband speeds in rural and difficult-to-reach areas.

One of the aims of the campaign is to make rural speeds faster, but it’s also focused on ending widespread upset over adverts that promote broadband speeds. Currently, internet service providers (ISP) can advertise an “up to” speed even if just 10 per cent of the population can receive that speed. The problem with this, particularly in the counties of Gloucestershire and Herefordshire, is that most of the premises are in rural areas which means speeds are going to be affected. Typically, these areas struggle to get above 2Mbps.

The campaign is being led by the Local Government Association’s (LGA) People and Places board, with councillor Mark Hawthorne as chairman. With the first phase already complete, 88 per cent of all premises can now access superfast broadband. Phase two will see superfast broadband rolled out to hard-to-reach businesses and homes and is being funded to the tune of £6.2 million.

In a statement, Mark Hawthorne said: “Councils are working hard to ensure everyone has good quality internet access.

"The headline 'up to' download speed, which can be advertised legally, is misleading and does not reflect the reality of broadband service received across the country.

"Broadband users deserve greater honesty and openness about the download and upload speeds they are likely to receive depending on their location."

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(Image: Kings Sutton)