Pooling broadband vouchers helps communities get connected
Neighbours who pool broadband vouchers can help bring faster connections to places commercial networks might otherwise miss.
A government evaluation published on 1 October, covering schemes delivered between 2017 and 2021, found that areas receiving vouchers recorded bigger download-speed improvements than comparable areas without them. The gains lasted at least three years. Combining vouchers for a shared network build generally worked better, and offered better value, than supporting individual premises.
In Spaldwick, Cambridgeshire, residents organised a community fibre partnership with Openreach. Meetings, newsletters and the village website helped build support. Full fibre reached most premises in July 2021, after more than 18 months of work.
That earlier example also shows why a cable alone is not enough: volunteers helped neighbours order services and improve their home Wi-Fi. The national evaluation measured download speeds, which reflect the packages people buy as well as the connections available.
For communities facing a difficult upgrade, the practical lesson is encouraging. Organising together can help get the network built; patient local support can help people make use of it.
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