Wessex Internet receives a mention at Westminster

Yesterday, the recently elected MP for North Dorset, Simon Hoare, took part in a debate in Westminster where he raised the particularly difficult challenges of superfast broadband availability in his rural Dorset constituency. Just 43% of North Dorset is covered by Superfast broadband according to Mr Hoare.

During the debate, Mr Hoare mentioned the difficulties that BT have imposed on the roll-out programme, de-scoping large villages from the BDUK upgrades, and threatening to withdraw from the Dorset scheme entirely if Dorset Council chose to support the independent Trailway broadband project, which as we now know failed as a result of this.

During the middle of Mr Hoare’s debate, he explained the challenges communities and alternate Internet providers face, and he particularly mentioned Wessex Internet, in receiving information about where BT are upgrading, so that alternate solutions can be found more quickly.

Mr Hoare explained the difficulties providers face in receiving wayleaves from the State owned Forestry Commission and the Crown Estate, something Wessex Internet has been hampered with as we increase our roll-out of fibre to reach rural communities.

Wessex Internet welcomes Mr Hoare’s involvement in raising such an important topic in Westminster yesterday, and we look forward to working with our local MP to share the progress of Wessex Internet’s privately funded roll-out programmes that have already reached over 630 customers, 110km fibre and 1000s of kilometres of fixed-wireless links.

Watch the full debate here