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Earl Soham Broadband Update Thanks to those (16) who attended the meeting at the village hall on 8th April, and to those who sent their apologies (8). The team from Framlingham Technology Centre made their presentation on broadband and some of the possible ways forward, without at this stage having any firm answers. However most who attended went away better informed.A bid was submitted to EEDA for funds as part of the Connecting Communities Competition, for a community scheme at Framlingham with a connection to Earl Soham. We should know the result of the bid by late July or early August, if they keep to the timetable. If the bid results in an offer of grant aid, the amount, and the terms attached will have a significant effect on the type, capacity and range of equipment which could be used. As soon as I hear the result, I will let you know. Salvation by conventional means from our BT exchange looks as far away as ever. The number of registrations is currently about 40 in the Earl Soham exchange area, and the lowest threshold BT has ever mentioned anywhere in the country is 200. No doubt smaller, cheaper exchange equipment will be developed, for exchanges like ours, one day, but not in the immediate future. So let us hope EEDA are generous towards us! For information, I attach a copy of a leaflet made available at the meeting, which relates to the pilot scheme in Framlingham being tried at the moment. To use this sort of equipment, I believe you have to be quite close (100 - 200 metres?) to an omnidirectional aerial. Click here to open the leaflet. You will need the "Adobe Acrobat Reader" installed on your PC to open the file. If you don't have it, click here to visit the Adobe Website to download the reader. Bruce Hinton 01728 685232 brucehinton@earlsohambusinesscentre.co.uk |