|
Buckfastleigh Broadband is a Community Broadband Network Pilot supported by the Department
of Trade & Industry's UK Broadband Fund and the South West of England Regional Development
Agency to bring high-speed, always-on Broadband Internet connections and its associated
benefits to key facilities in the town of Buckfastleigh in Devon, United Kingdom, and to
the community as a whole.
The Community
Network currently comprises Broadband connections to the primary school, library, town
hall, business centres, pubs, and a public access centre - WAVE - located in the town's
main street. The next development phase of the Community Network is to roll out public wireless
hotspots, called WAVEpoints.
Buckfastleigh Broadband is working with a number of suppliers to build this mixed technology
Broadband network, both wired and wireless.
WAVE, the Marketing and Public Broadband
Internet Access Centre at 46 Fore Street, Buckfastleigh, demonstrates and promotes the benefits
of Broadband services to local businesses and the community, as well as providing information
and training.
A goal of the project is to create a plan for sustainability after the pilot period, with
the resulting benefits of an increase in ICT skills amongst the community, a contribution
to the regeneration of the town's central public area, and long-term employment in the town.
|
|
Project Objectives
- To evaluate the technical feasibility, the advisability and the potential community
and regional benefits within a rural environment of sharing of publicly funded Broadband
infrastructure and services with the commercial sector.
- To implement Broadband infrastructure and services to the small, rural town of Buckfastleigh
to underpin the provision of improved social and economic services to the community. The
project will monitor its impact on the community.
- To establish a model that can be taken up by other communities.
The pilot project is managed through a Company Limited by Guarantee with members and directors,
and advisors from various stakeholder groups, and operates on a not-for-profit basis.
This project is supported by:
 |
 |
| Department of Trade & Industry |
South West of England Regional Development Agency |
|
