Nearly all our internet connections in Upton are provided over the historic BT copper network, using ADSL connections and Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC). The resulting speeds are limited to 80Mbps downwards (mostly much less) and just a few Mbps in the other direction. The vagaries of electrical connections and degraded copper or aluminium cables mean that reliability can be poor.
By contrast, Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) can offers speeds between 100Mbps and 1000Mbps (a gigabit per second) by means of fibre optic cabling running into the property. Most of the country either has access now to FTTP, or OpenReach have indicated that they have plans to install it.
There are currently no plans for OpenReach or any other supplier to do so in Upton village.
Need for Action
Residents need to take action if we are to have any chance of seeing FTTP in the village within reasonable timescales:
- Homeworkers need access to reliable high-speed Internet for their job
- Entertainment is increasingly being provided by streaming services over the Internet (Sky satellites will be phased out this decade and terrestrial television is planned to go in the 2030s)
- For homeowners, not only does FTTP add to the value of the property, but also prospective purchasers view a lack of it as a reason not to buy
What can we do?
Building Digital UK (BDUK) – part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology – is supposed to bring fast and reliable broadband and mobile coverage to ‘hard-to-reach places’ via Project Gigabit, for homes and businesses that are not included in suppliers’ commercial plans. The project includes the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS), whereby eligible homes and businesses can access ‘vouchers’ worth up to £4,500 to help towards the costs of installing a gigabit-capable broadband connection. Providing there is sufficient take-up in a community, the supplier can claim the vouchers to pay towards the installation.
After two years of asking, BDUK have advised that some (9 or 10) communities in Oxfordshire can be opened in early 2026 for the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, and the Digital Infrastructure Programme office at Oxfordshire County Council have earmarked Upton as potentially one of the communities to benefit.
We need to demonstrate to potential providers that there would be sufficient support for FTTP within the village and therefore that we would be able to provide enough vouchers to satisfy the supplier’s business case for installation.