Janet has now been able to talk to the right people at UK Power Networks and Openreach …
The short version: The good news is that they seem to be being far more transparent about what is happening and where they are in the process. The less good news is that the end of March date for Fibre To The Premises actually relates to when Openreach will have physically installed it but it won't be available for use until it has been commissioned and handed over to the various ISPs - which will take a further month.
Timetable:
The Green Box fully working & open for business (ie we can order it fromISPs): End March 2019.
Fibre To The Premises (Mill Road, Occold Corner & Abbots Meadow) fully working and open for business (then we can order it from our ISPs): End April 2019.
Fibre To The Premises - various Farms and remote premises - dependant on Fibre Cable Laying being undertaken by farm owners etc
The long version: Getting fast broadband to Redlingfield is dependent on getting the fibre cable from the "Occold" exchange at Thorndon to us here in Redlingfield. The cable crosses several different farmers' land and some farmers have been more co-operative than others – which has slowed the process down. The trunking – which will hold the cable – is almost complete, when it is, in the next couple of weeks, the fibre cable will be blown through the trunking.
When the fibre cable gets to Redlingfield it will first be attached to the Green Box and commissioning of the Green Box will begin which is due to be completed by the end of March 2019 (when ISPs will be told they can start using it). This will provide fast broadband for everyone on the Church Road, Green Lane and The Knoll side of the Green Box - including Wash Farm, Rookery Farm, etc.
The fibre cable will then also be attached to the Fibre To The Premises (FTTP) network for Mill Road, Abbotts Meadow and Occold Corner (which is already in place on the telegraph poles) - This is also due to be completed by the end of March 2019 – the FTTP network will then start to be commissioned back at the Occold exchange a process that takes 3-4 weeks. So by the end of April 2019 the ISPs will be told that they can connect their customers to the new FTTP service and super- fast broadband.
Openreach will also tell us at the same time that the ISPs have it in their gift to supply superfast broadband so we can order it.
If anything changes they have promised to keep us informed and I will continue to check in with them on a weekly basis to ensure that the plan is still on track....