The Rotherhithe Broadband Group has lauched its Broadband Blueprint for Rotherhithe (PDF).
The Blueprint is the result of several months of exploration of the widespread anger and frustration at the poor broadband speeds and poor stability in the area. The document was revealed at tonight’s Canada Water Consultative Forum meeting.
The Rotherhithe Broadband Group has been looking at why the broadband service to Rotherhithe is so poor and what can be done to improve it.
They said:
We have met with BT and been in contact with Virgin Media to assess what the main providers can do and to understand better the reasons for the poor broadband speeds.
We believe the problem lies with the providers of infrastructure rather than the ISPs. BT as main provider must urgently upgrade their provision to Rotherhithe. However the Group has concluded that a community-owned and -managed broadband infrastructure could deliver a better solution faster and cheaper. Such a solution would future-proof the infrastructure by providing superfast fibre to the home rather than relying on the existing copper wire system.
The Broadband Group is currently completing a feasibility study into the details of our solution. So far it shows that local investment would be better spent on a local solution rather than paid to the major provider. Locally-owned and managed infrastructure would aid the area’s regeneration, maintain the competitiveness of the area and encourage new businesses to consider Rotherhithe a place for long-term investment.
In launching the Broadband Blueprint for Rotherhithe, the group calls on the London Borough of Southwark to support us to find the necessary investment. We call on local councillors and other politicians to come behind the plan and offer their public endorsement of our blueprint. We are looking for partners of all kinds to help us make Rotherhithe a great place to get online. We invite community members with specialist skills such as legal experience or marketing expertise to join the planning group as we develop this project further. If you want to stay in touch with developments, register your details at www.energise16.co.uk and we will send you regular updates.
Pauline Adenwalla – chair of the Canada Water Consultative Forum who chaired the working group – said: “Once again the community has shown that it has the skills and knowledge to provide community based solutions to address the issue of the local infrastructure.”
Mark Parker who convened the group said: “For years, the issue of broadband has dogged residents and small business owners in Rotherhithe.
“Now we have a chance to turn the experience round and deliver a service fit for the 21st century.”