Talk Talk have told us that they will be unable to reinstate excavations on the following streets over the weekend due to adverse weather conditions.
City of York Council is warning small businesses and registered charities that time is running out to apply for a £3,000 Connection Voucher to boost their broadband speeds.
Since the scheme launched in April 2014, over 300 York businesses and registered charities have benefitted by upgrading to high-speed broadband, but organisations are being advised to apply for a Connection Voucher as soon as possible to avoid missing out.
Funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the scheme offers grants of up to £3,000 for SMEs and registered charities seeking faster and better broadband.
Due to the thriving nationwide demand, the scheme, which has issued 200 Connection Vouchers in York since April 2015, is fast running out. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport have warned that with current demand, vouchers are expected to be fully allocated soon so organisations are advised to apply as soon as possible.
(more…)
The drop in sessions, which are taking place throughout January, will showcase the York Connection Voucher Scheme which has been helping small businesses in York increase their broadband speed. At the events advice will be available on how to apply for a £3,000 Connection Voucher* and how it can transform the way businesses and registered charities operate.
Current road show events which have been confirmed are:
The news that Sky/TalkTalk are to launch an ultrafast broadband service in the City, possibly as early as next year, is welcome.
The high speeds on offer will be a boon to businesses in the City particularly those in the technology reliant sectors.
It may also provide a boost for “home workers”.
The City has many broadband providers but the domestic market is dominated by the BT network and Virgin.
Virgin in particular provides a high speed service – shortly to increase to 150 mps in some areas – which most leisure/domestic users will find adequate. It comes at a price though.
Competition is generally good for the consumer.
There may, however, be some downsides.
Unless the new network provider – CityFibre – can utilise existing utility ducts, we could be in for another period of damaged footpaths. NTL (Virgins predecessor) didn’t win many friends as it ploughed up the City’s streets nearly 20 years ago.
And pricing will be important. Commercial users will take a hardnosed approach.
Residents living in the suburbs and villages around York may, however, find that the market simply couldn’t fund the new infrastructure at this point in time.
We will see.
In the meantime the Council Leadership is promising “citywide” coverage.
Funded through Government’s ‘Super Connected Cities’ programme and City of York Council, the vouchers will provide assistance of up to £3,000 per business for SMEs seeking faster and better broadband (of at least 30 Mbits) to support them in growing their business.
The York voucher scheme is just one element in York’s strategy to become the best connected digital city of its size in the UK. The city launched the world’s first city tour application which uses ‘hologram tourist guides’ for visitors and proposals are well advanced to provide wi-fi in the city centre during the first half of 2014.
(more…)