Superfast motor manufacturer gets into top gear thanks to superfast broadband
Superfast motor manufacturer gets into top gear thanks to superfast broadband
Ariel Motors is among more than 4,100 businesses and households in Crewkerne
which can now get superfast broadband
Superfast broadband has helped a pioneering motor manufacturer, which produces one of the fastest accelerating cars in the world, to get into top gear.
More than 4,100 Crewkerne households and businesses, including Ariel Motors, now have access to superfast broadband as a result of the multi million pound Connecting Devon and Somerset (CDS) programme.
The Crewkerne-based motor manufacturer, which produces the superfast Ariel Atom and has a long history dating back to the 19th century when it patented the first spoked ‘penny farthing’ wheel, was one of the first superfast broadband customers in the Somerset town.
Director of Ariel Motors, Simon Saunders, said the fibre broadband technology was already providing a major boost for his company’s international operations.
“The easy exchange of information, data and files is crucial within our nationwide R&D multi-million pound projects and in advance design,” he said. “As technology evolves, we need to make sure that our connection matches that of our partners who are located in more urban areas, hundreds of miles away. With many complex, large CAD files, the speed of exchanging data has become important to us.
“Thanks to the latest rollout of superfast broadband, we’re now getting over 70MB download speed and 20MB upload speed, which is a lot faster than before. This means we can operate with new technology from our base in one of the most beautiful parts of the country.” Currently, there are 15 fibre broadband cabinets ‘live’ within the Crewkerne area offering superfast broadband for the first time to more than 4,100 premises. Hundreds of homes and businesses in and around Crewkerne are already using the service. Over the next few weeks five further cabinets will be introduced, providing an additional 1,171 households and businesses with access to superfast broadband.
Rural businesses have been at the centre of CDS’s approach to achieving superfast solutions. Since the rollout began over two years ago, the programme has connected over 10,500 businesses to the fibre network – the vast majority of which can access superfast broadband speeds. More than 240 business parks now have access to fibre broadband or will do so in the near future as part ofConnecting Devon and Somerset’s aim to reach around 90 per cent of premises by December 2016. South Somerset MP Marcus Fysh praised the latest development within CDS as a “huge step in the right direction.”
He said: “Although superfast broadband has already arrived in Crewkerne, these additional cabinets demonstrate a strong commitment from CDS to meet the current goals set for 2016. This is really reassuring for local businesses, like Ariel Motors, that depend on adequate internet connection in order to meet customer demands in an increasingly technology-based economy.”
The rollout is gathering momentum, with fibre broadband becoming available to more than 8,000 further premises every month. A full list of South Somerset exchanges, which now have superfast broadband, is available in the Notes to Editors.
Councillor David Hall, Somerset County Council’s cabinet member for business inward investment and policy, said: “The Connecting Devon and Somerset project to build a fibre network is on schedule, connecting the county to the rest of the world. Ariel Motors, as an international company, is a great illustration of this. This is a significant step for Crewkerne and for Ariel’s global reach. The programme has had a positive impact on the region both in homes and in businesses. Long-term, the impact will be even bigger as the economy in the two counties will be bolstered by superfast broadband.”
About 220,000 households and businesses across the two counties can now access fibre broadband, of which nearly 200,000 can get superfast speeds of 24Mbps and above, as a result of the multi-million-pound programme.The partnership is on schedule in its plans to make superfast broadband available to around 90 per cent of households and businesses within less than 16 months.
Laurent Boon, BT’s programme manager for Connecting Devon and Somerset, added: “The Ariel Motors success story is a wonderful example of how high-speed fibre broadband can help a firm operate successfully on the international stage wherever it is located. This exciting technology is providing a major boost for businesses and households throughout the South West. Businesses are using it to become more competitive, find new customers and operate more efficiently, whilst households are benefitting from improved opportunities for online learning, entertainment or just staying in touch with friends and family. Whatever you do online you can do it better with fibre broadband.”
Residents and businesses can keep up to date with the latest cabinets going live via Twitter @DCCSCCBroadband or via www.connectingdevonandsomerset.co.uk
- ENDS -
Notes to Editors
High-speed fibre broadband is now available in the following South Somerset exchange areas:
| BRUTON |
| BUCKLAND ST MARY |
| CASTLE CARY |
| CHARD |
| CHARLTON MACKRELL |
| CHISELBOROUGH |
| CORTON DENHAM |
| CREWKERNE |
| ILCHESTER |
| ILMINSTER |
| ISLE BREWERS |
| LANGPORT |
| LONG SUTTON |
| MARSTON MAGNA |
| MARTOCK |
| MILBORNE PORT |
| SOMERTON |
| SOUTH PETHERTON |
| TEMPLECOMBE |
| WEST COKER |
| WINCANTON |
| YEOVIL |
- Most of the CDS programme will be Fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) technology, which can deliver download speeds of up to 80Mbps and upload speeds of up to 20Mbps.These are the top wholesale speeds available to all service providers; speeds offered by service providers may vary.
- The new network is available on an open, wholesale basis to all broadband service providers. Households and businesses wishing to place an order or find out more about fibre broadband should contact their service provider.
About Connecting Devon and Somerset
Councils across Devon and Somerset are working together to bring faster broadband to the area and deliver improved broadband for rural Devon and Somerset – the “final third” – rural areas that are unlikely to benefit from commercial investment in broadband.
The Connecting Devon and Somerset Programme covers Devon County Council, Somerset County Council, Bath and North East Somerset Council, Plymouth City Council, Torbay Council, and North Somerset Council areas.
In 2011 the programme secured £32 million of funding from the government agency Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) and both Somerset and Devon County Councils put in £10 million each. Further funding from Bath and North East Somerset Council brought the public sector total close to £53 million. With the £41 million additional investment from BT the Programme is investing £94 million to improve broadband connectivity.
In 2014 BDUK announced a further £22.75m allocated to the CDS programme to support the extension of superfast broadband coverage to 95 per cent of premises nationally. This has been matched locally, which means the programme has over £45 million further to invest in bringing superfast broadband to the area.
For more information, visit www.connectingdevonandsomerset.co.uk
About “Get up to Speed”
The ‘Get up to Speed’ service is delivered by the Cosmic Peninsula Consortium on behalf of Connecting Devon and Somerset. The newly established consortium, formed by Peninsula Enterprise and Cosmic IT, will undertake a series of workshops and events that will follow the infrastructure roll out as it moves across Devon and Somerset, helping businesses and individuals’ access information and develop the skills they need to get the most from the faster broadband speeds.
For more information please visit www.get-up-to-speed.co.uk
About Superfast Britain
Superfast Britain is a Government programme of investment in broadband and communication infrastructure across the UK. Run by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, this investment helps businesses to grow, creates jobs and will make Britain more competitive in the global race. The portfolio is comprised of three elements:
- £780m to extend superfast broadband to 95% of the UK by 2017
- £150m to provide high speed broadband to businesses in 22 cities
- £150m to improve quality and coverage of mobile phone and basic data network services
Administered on behalf of Government by Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK), Superfast Britain is transforming Britain by promoting growth, enabling skills and learning, and improving quality of life.
For further information, visit https://www.gov.uk/broadband-delivery-uk
