Better broadband for Cumbria

The Government’s broadband minister and figures from the telecommunications industry are backing a conference aiming to boost internet provision in Cumbria.

How slow is your broadband?

The broadband conference is being organised by Penrith and the Border MP Rory Stewart who has made the issue one of his key objectives.

Broadband minister Ed Vaizey will open the conference at Rheged in September and other speakers include Bill Murphy, of the BT Group, Chris Smedley, chief executive of the fibre network company GEO and Blair Levin, former Executive Director of the US Federal Communications Commission’s Broadband Initiative.

Clearly the campaign has the wind in its sails and will have been given a boost by David Cameron’s Big Society initiative which sees the Eden Valley as a “vanguard community” for running public services with local volunteers.

Alice Unwin is organising the conference for Rory Stewart and is expecting tickets to be snapped up fast when they go on sale on Wednesday next week.

“The aim of it is to bring people together from local and national government as well as leading players from the industry and community organisations.

“We want to put Penrith and the Border on the map in terms of the Government agenda and inspire local people to get involved,” she said.

The conference will look at ways of improving the broadband infrastructure to towns and villages in the constituency and then discuss ways in which community projects could be used to deliver broadband to homes by wireless or other means, she added.

In the coming weeks in the run up to the conference the News & Star’s Webwatch page will be highlighting some of the issues surrounding broadband access in Cumbria and we want to hear your views.

Miss Unwin added: “Companies like BT are keen to know there is a high demand for broadband in Cumbria and it’s important that we show case studies and support for the campaign.”

How to get involved:

• More information about the Penrith and Border Broadband conference on September 18 at www.rorystewart.co.uk/broadband where you can register your interest. Booking opens on Wednesday July 28. Tickets cost £15.
• Is poor broadband access a problem for you or your business? Contact Nick Turner at nturner@cngroup.co.uk with your views