In March when David Henthorne, a retired resident living near Buxton, looked to improve his shockingly slow broadband running at an unusable 2 Mbps, he was quoted an astronomical sum of £40,000 by Openreach’s Fibre Community Partnership. Left dumbfounded at facing such an exorbitant cost, David was almost resigned to struggling to perform the most basic tasks online. Fortunately, David found National Broadband and their 4G-based broadband solution that brought him out of digital deprivation and transformed his speeds to 20mbps.
David Henthorne had been with his broadband provider since 2002 but as his reliance on the internet increased, he noticed that his current service was completely unsuitable for everyday tasks, from online shopping, banking to connecting with family and friends. In a time where having access to reliable and high speed broadband is ever more essential, the lack of a reliable internet connection left David feeling frustrated and increasingly isolated.
He contacted his local MP, Robert Largan, for advice. Mr Largan suggested he get in contact with Openreach but upon doing so, David was quoted an alarming £40,000. This level of cost was completely unaffordable, leaving David stranded without a fit for purpose internet connection and no apparent prospect of being able to access high quality broadband.
David searched for alternative broadband solutions and came across National Broadband’s website. He sent an enquiry to the company and they were able to recommend their 4G-based broadband solution, setting him up with fast and reliable internet within just a week of his initial contact. David now benefits from broadband speeds of 20 Mbps which have been genuinely life-changing, transforming his broadband experience, lifting him out of digital isolation and enabling him at last to perform important tasks online.
According to Ofcom there are over 600,000 properties in the UK that find themselves in a similar situation to David and that are simply unable to access a reliable broadband service via fixed landline networks.
David Henthorne commented:
“The solution offered by National Broadband has been an absolute God-send. I don’t care to imagine the time I spent sitting around waiting for pages to load. I am now able to get on with my day-to-day online activities and talk to friends and family online and hassle-free. National Broadband were very helpful and the service they provided was outstanding. From initial enquiry to set-up and aftercare, National Broadband have supported me all the way.”
Robert Largan MP for High Peak said:
“One of my top priorities is to improve access to ultrafast broadband across the High Peak. Our unique geography means we have some of the worst coverage not-spots in the entire country. I’m pleased National Broadband have stepped in to ensure David has access to superfast broadband. I look forward to working more with them to speed up the ultra-fast broadband roll-out across the High Peak!”
David Hennell, Business Development Director, National Broadband commented:
“We are living in a world where access to reliable internet is an essential and ever-growing part of all our daily lives. However, as Ofcom's figures make clear, for the unfortunate minority, good quality broadband is simply not accessible at all – or only at an enormous personal cost. This issue of digital deprivation is perfectly highlighted by David’s story, which clearly demonstrates that programmes such as the Openreach Fibre Community Partnership are simply not fit for purpose when it comes to connecting those most in need.
“The Government talks a good game when it comes to ‘levelling up’. However, its current ‘full fibre centric’ policy simply leaves behind those currently suffering with the slowest broadband connections. If the Government is serious about closing the Digital Divide, it must also look into alternative broadband solutions that are immediately deployable and that are proven to be capable of dramatically improving the lives of the most digitally disadvantaged. It’s all well and good to spend £1.25 billion from the public purse with the goal of providing full fibre gigabit-capable connections to 85% of UK properties by the end of 2025 – but not when nothing is being done for those who need help the most.”
