Ewhurst Community Broadband

At a recent meeting with a BT/Openreach representative, the attending members of the Ewhurst & Surrey Hills Broadband (ESHB) committee were advised of the following.

* The new cabinet is beside cabinet 19 in Cranleigh Road near Gransden Close. Apparently there are Planning Regulation issues for works on cabinets 18 (Plough Lane) and 20 (Bulls Head) and this is currently delaying the upgrades. BT Openreach need to install new cabinets near the existing cabinets 18, 20 and 6 (Barhatch Lane/Bookhurst Road) but, as of 15th January, there is no physical evidence of these works other than a new shell installed on cabinet 20.

** It is unclear why connection speeds should improve at this time, but please advise us of any improvements via our Contact Form and we will send these reports to Mike. Click here for speed testing services.

*** Click here for the SCC January Newletter

Please note that it is up to the end user to source a “superfast broadband” service, and to pay for the upgraded service. This site will provide more information to assist with the former in due course. Click here for price information.

We are compiling a list of “frequently asked questions” in order to expand the “FAQ” page (see link under Categories on the right) to guide local residents and businesses through the forthcoming “superfast broadband” upgrade. Please send all your questions and suggestions by using the contact form (click here). Please also use this to register to receive email updates on the upgrade and other relevant news, if you have not already registered on this site.

Surrey County Council (SCC) want to achieve 100% “superfast” broadband coverage in Surrey by 2013. Click here for details on this project. They have produced a useful FAQ which may answer more of your questions. Find our articles about the SCC project here.

The Government wants everyone to have superfast broadband by 2015. BDUK is responsible for allocating central Government funds – click here for our BDUK news items.

Not yet! (Not in Ewhurst or Cranleigh, that is.) We will update this answer as availability changes. Read the rest of this entry »

In principle, a poorly performing broadband connection can often be improved. Read the rest of this entry »

No, you should be able to continue using your existing broadband service if you wish, Read the rest of this entry »

by Walter Willcox

Around 2004 I became aware of a number of users particularly around Pitch and Holmbury Hills that were either experiencing very poor broadband performance or who had no broadband signal.  Read the rest of this entry »

From the editor of The Ewhurst & Ellens Green News:

All Ewhurst residents who use broadband join in expressing appreciation for all the hard work that the ESHB group have done on our behalf to carry this project forward. Without their persistence BT might never have acknowledged the inadequate service that many in Ewhurst receive. In spite of many setbacks, the group have never faltered in their aim of achieving a broadband service in Ewhurst worthy of 21st C technology.

A BT press release on Friday further highlights the importance of the current FTTC upgrade in Cranleigh and Ewhurst. It announces plans to offer FTTP (Fibre To The Premises) broadband connections to anyone within reach of a FTTC enabled street cabinet from 2013, with download speeds of 300Mbps (at a cost). Read the press release here and the thinkbroadband article and discussion here.

How long is your piece of string? Yes, seriously, your maximum connection speed really will depend on the length of the “string” (copper and/or aluminium wire) connecting you to whichever BT street cabinet services you. Read the rest of this entry »