Does anyone know what is happening with the Scottish Executive's pledge for
affordable broadband for all by the end of the year? There was a tender put
out in November but I've heard nothing since. This mainly affects the South
of Scotland and the Highlands where there are many so-called 'unviable'
exchanges. Hopefully, Updata will get the contract and upgrade all exchanges
just as they are doing in Dorset.

In message <BE571966.438E%no_more@spam.com>, GJW <no_more@spam.com>
writes
>Does anyone know what is happening with the Scottish Executive's pledge for
>affordable broadband for all by the end of the year? There was a tender put
>out in November but I've heard nothing since. This mainly affects the South
>of Scotland and the Highlands where there are many so-called 'unviable'
>exchanges. Hopefully, Updata will get the contract and upgrade all exchanges
>just as they are doing in Dorset.
>
Personally I don't know. I am enjoying my 2 meg fat pipe here in
remotest Moray! Have x - posted to uk.l.s-h to see if any body there is
any the wiser?
--
Pete Devlin
[{//////news03//////at\\\\\secondrow/////co\\\\\uk}]
"Mind the oranges Marlon!"

On Sat, 12 Mar 2005 11:00:52 +0000, pete devlin wrote:

> In message <BE571966.438E%no_more@spam.com>, GJW <no_more@spam.com>
> writes
>>Does anyone know what is happening with the Scottish Executive's pledge for
>>affordable broadband for all by the end of the year? There was a tender put
>>out in November but I've heard nothing since. This mainly affects the South
>>of Scotland and the Highlands where there are many so-called 'unviable'
>>exchanges. Hopefully, Updata will get the contract and upgrade all exchanges
>>just as they are doing in Dorset.
>>
> Personally I don't know. I am enjoying my 2 meg fat pipe here in
> remotest Moray! Have x - posted to uk.l.s-h to see if any body there is
> any the wiser?

A few exchanges in Orkney and Shetland have been broadband enabled but
there are still many to be done. The sceptic in me says that some may
never get done because the number of customers likely to want broadband
is too low.
I wouldn't mind betting that some of the more rural exchanges will never
be broadband enabled, but potential subscribers will probably be offered
a satellite link just so as the politicians can say they could have a
service if they wanted it.
--
MCC

On the Fri, 11 Mar 2005 09:46:14 +0000, GJW <no_more@spam.com>
wrote:

>Does anyone know what is happening with the Scottish Executive's pledge for
>affordable broadband for all by the end of the year?

Like all the other pledges ..... It was shite.

In article <emcIclDkvsMCFwzL@sukmabobby.com>, pete devlin
<spamtrap@secondrow.co.uk> writes
>In message <BE571966.438E%no_more@spam.com>, GJW <no_more@spam.com>
>writes
>>Does anyone know what is happening with the Scottish Executive's pledge for
>>affordable broadband for all by the end of the year? There was a tender put
>>out in November but I've heard nothing since. This mainly affects the South
>>of Scotland and the Highlands where there are many so-called 'unviable'
>>exchanges. Hopefully, Updata will get the contract and upgrade all exchanges
>>just as they are doing in Dorset.
>>
>Personally I don't know. I am enjoying my 2 meg fat pipe here in
>remotest Moray! Have x - posted to uk.l.s-h to see if any body there is
>any the wiser?

I am also in the wilds of Moray but am forced to "enjoy" an expensive
satellite pipe, which incidentally suffers many of the problems as dial
up due to need for a land based isp.
The possibility of our exchange ever being upgraded is the same as Tony
Blairs chances of still finding Iraq's WMDs.
Our exchange is still not even system x which i understand came in
during the 50s:-(

Wally Hayward

GJW wrote:
> Does anyone know what is happening with the Scottish Executive's pledge for
> affordable broadband for all by the end of the year? There was a tender put
> out in November but I've heard nothing since. This mainly affects the South
> of Scotland and the Highlands where there are many so-called 'unviable'
> exchanges. Hopefully, Updata will get the contract and upgrade all exchanges
> just as they are doing in Dorset.
>

I have asked around on a few forums and had the following reply from
someone on one of them:



Mr ############

Thank you for your e-mail dated 24 January regarding broadband for all
Scotland. From this correspondence I hope to enlighten you on the
Scottish Executive’s aim on the provision of broadband, not only in
rural Scotland but to all areas.

The Scottish Executive, through its broadband strategy, is doing all it
can to encourage broadband rollout across Scotland. At the moment,
primarily as a result of the initiatives undertaken as part of our
strategy, and recent moves by the private sector, broadband is available
to more than 90% of the population and is forecast to reach c97-98% by
summer 2005.

We, of course, fully recognise that further work needs to be done to
ensure that all areas of Scotland can experience the benefits which
broadband can bring, and this is why we recently announced our
initiative to bring broadband to every community in Scotland by the end
of 2005.

Our initiative involves a major procurement exercise. This is
progressing well and we have obtained state aid approval from the
European Commission. We are currently in the negotiation phase of
procurement, and subject to these negotiations we would like to see the
appointment of a supplier for the services early this year.

At this stage, I hope you will understand that it is not possible to
predict when specific communities in Scotland will have access to the
affordable broadband services procured. However, we aim to see roll-out
throughout the year, to those areas out-with the reach of commercial
services, which will be comparable, in terms of cost and level of
services, to that present in the rest of Scotland.

You have mentioned that your exchange, Daviot, South of Inverness, is
“unviable” and therefore, will not be upgraded for Broadband. I should
point out, that our commitment is not specifically to upgrade telephone
exchanges, since there are various technologies which could potentially
deliver access to those areas out-with the reach of commercial services
in Scotland. Consequently, the procurement exercise is supplier and
technology neutral, in line with the original aims of our broadband
strategy and the successful bidder may therefore use an alternative
technology or mixture of technologies for delivering the desired solution.

Finally, may I draw you attention to the web-site
www.broadbandforscotland.co.uk as this will help keep you informed of
the latest developments in your area.

I hope you will find this information to be helpful and reassures you
that the Scottish Executive is doing all that I can to meet our
commitment of bringing broadband to every community in Scotland.

Thank you

###########

Telecoms Policy Unit

Bill wrote:
>
> I have asked around on a few forums and had the following reply from
> someone on one of them:

OK my comments:

It is not ADSL for all, as done by Northumberland Development (for 2
preregistrations on Kielder exchange for example !). Also some
exchanges have major technical issues preventing simple activation such
as RF feeds into them that are set up for voice only.

I would expect a mix of paid-for ADSL activates on some exchanges and
perhaps a radio system for other areas and even that mains wiring
experiment.

The downside / spin is in that bit about 'comparable' costs. Consider a
£200 connect fee and a £25 a month and you could easily have BB
'available' whilst ensuring that very few take it up and cost actual
money to the Scottish Parish Council.

Bill

Sgri\obh Walter Hayward <toomuch52580@yahoo.com>:
>In article <emcIclDkvsMCFwzL@sukmabobby.com>, pete devlin
><spamtrap@secondrow.co.uk> writes
>Our exchange is still not even system x which i understand came in
>during the 50s:-(

Nor is ours but so far as I'm aware that's no particular problem.

A local BT engineer recently told me that Plockton, which already has
broadband, has the same type of exchange as ours here in 01471 82xxxxx,
Loch Scavaig.

<aside to those who know about these things>
Does UXD5b sound likely as an exchange type? It's certainly UX
something, I'm less sure of the rest.
</aside>

The big difference is probably that Plockton has a substantial
population (well, substantial for around here) and a secondary school,
whereas Loch Scavaig has a small population. I'm hoping that the fact
that we have a primary school means that broadband will arrive someday,
but I'm not holding my breath...

--
Regards, David Wright, Elgol, Isle of Skye, Scotland

In article <42349d59$0$560$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader03.plus.net>, Bill
<ngaccount@gen_luncheonmeatbanned_sheet.co.uk> writes
>Bill wrote:
>>
>> I have asked around on a few forums and had the following reply from
>> someone on one of them:
>
>OK my comments:
>
>It is not ADSL for all, as done by Northumberland Development (for 2
>preregistrations on Kielder exchange for example !). Also some
>exchanges have major technical issues preventing simple activation such
>as RF feeds into them that are set up for voice only.
>
>I would expect a mix of paid-for ADSL activates on some exchanges and
>perhaps a radio system for other areas and even that mains wiring
>experiment.
>
>The downside / spin is in that bit about 'comparable' costs. Consider a
>£200 connect fee and a £25 a month and you could easily have BB
>'available' whilst ensuring that very few take it up and cost actual
>money to the Scottish Parish Council.
>
>Bill
>
Let's face it... when the politicians state "90% of the population" they
are working from BT figures of 90% of EXCHANGES.. Not the same thing.
Resign yourself. People like us in small remote communities are "Never"
going to get decent broadband. Even after the broadband trial via the
power lines, they quote a minimum of 50 installations in any 1 area (as
I understand it.. this means.. fed by 1 main grid connection.. i'e a
village/town!) before they will consider it.
So I shall have to continue paying for a crappy 1 way satellite service
which is NOT the same thing by a long chalk!
OK for file downloads.. crap for browsing (unless you also susbcribe to
one of the expensive land based isps with low/zero contention) useless
for games and NO possibility of "free" VIOP phone calls.
Now if only I still lived in the "backwards" 3rd world country I was in
for 4 years.. I would have really cheap broadband

Roll on the revolution... or should that be the election?
Wally Hayward

Walter Hayward wrote:
>
>
> Let's face it... when the politicians state "90% of the population" they
> are working from BT figures of 90% of EXCHANGES.. Not the same thing.
> Resign yourself. People like us in small remote communities are "Never"
> going to get decent broadband. Even after the broadband trial via the
> power lines, they quote a minimum of 50 installations in any 1 area (as
> I understand it.. this means.. fed by 1 main grid connection.. i'e a
> village/town!) before they will consider it.

The official specification for this is 'all communities' with a
community defined as 'identifiable group of 50 households'. Note
households not users.

As I also said I think this must not be seen from a telephone exchange
viewpoint, it is not ADSL for all but 256kb+ for all at around ADSL
prices. That is ADSL that will be 8Mb by then.

Bill