Broadband Pilot Project 24/04/13

 Defined by AB37 9 Post Code  Population 1000 sparsely distributed  Rural area with farming, whisky and tourism main employers – small businesses retail  Topography defined by Rivers Livet and Avon  Most remote area – the Braes of Glenlivet

 Initially lots of conflicting opinion  Reports of: ◦ No service or slow with frequent outages ◦ Poor download speeds for normal internet searches ◦ Properties close to exchanges unaware of the problem ◦ Adjacent properties reporting good and poor service  Need for reliable and objective data linked to geography

 Survey to Community asking for: ◦ Download and upload speeds ◦ Speed test link attached to survey ◦ Post code and address ◦ Would they subscribe to a community broadband service ◦ How much would they be willing to pay against set levels of service

 20 % of community completed the survey  91% of those responding would support a community broadband service.  97% of those responding had a high commitment level to signing up  Price people were willing to pay reflected current market prices

 Each property responding plotted on a map  Colour code to reflect line speed range  Clear and reliable indication where poor service (less than 2mb/s) exists  Correlation between good service and exchanges  Anomalies to be investigated

 Evaluating options  Future Fibre provision uncertain  Scheme to based around current exchange  Flexibility for future fibre provision  Flexibility to expand coverage  Initially less than 2mb/s properties targeted  Flexibility to increase speed and customers  Wireless most practical option

 Further development required on: ◦ Transmitter sites at exchange and shadowed areas ◦ Develop costings, business plan and sales proposals  Go back to community for firm commitment  Procure main mast and relay sites  Installation of equipment and customer receivers  Establish and operating company  Go live