What Broadband is all about

With permission from a local resident in Digby, below is reproduced a recent email that perfectly captures what the NextGenUs community interest approach to future-proof broadband is all about.

All working very nicely now thanks!! I’m very impressed!!

Please find attached 2 speed tests – which I ran one after the other this evening from my room at the end of the garden:

Please Note –

We are running 2 wireless networks simultaneously here - BT and NextGenUs – so are in a very good position to do a like for like comparison.

The BT Broadband was purchased as a 2Mb connection – but in reality has struggled to achieve 1 Mb

Both wireless routers are in the same location and I am the same distance from both (approximately 20 metres)

I am using a LinkSys WUSB54G USB Wireless adapter – which is G rated

The NextGenUs router is N rated – so I would expect to have even more improved speeds with a better (N rated) wireless card installed.

21 December speed test	Download Speed	Upload Speed
BT Broadband	312 Kbps	243 Kbps
NextGenUs Broadband	13304 Kbps	9964 Kbps

I’ve also attached screenshots (but hidden the IP addresses for security purposes). I used the same speed test for both.

Personally I’m really happy. I couldn’t reliably VPN remotely into work from home before – but can now. This has been a really important consideration recently – given the inclement weather and a bout of illness on my part. I also wasn’t able to do things like watch “YouTube” or “BBC I-Player” (quite important for me because I don’t have a TV!!) both things I could do before moving to Digby.

I’ve also just been down at the neighbour's house with their youngest son. He’s really happy – his online game is working so much faster now and loads in a flash!!

Possibly the best thing for me though is bragging rights in the office. As you know I work in IT and I’ve got a faster connection here than all of my colleagues in the office!! (one of which pays through the nose for a “fast” broadband connection in Boston) And I live out in the sticks!! Brilliant – one in the eye for BT I think!

Well done and thank you!

Crosby Ravensworth Steps Up

Fantastic news from rural Cumbria where the Parish Council voted unanimously to back the NextGenUs UK CIC Big Society Broadband proposal to repeat in Eden the same future-proof 1000Mbps symmetric network pioneered in Ashby Lincolnshire and recently covered on BBC Click

As soon as sufficient members of the local community, residents and businesses, step up and demand service then the network build will start in Crosby Ravensworth, with the same deal available to surrounding communities in Lyvennet, as explained to other Community Broadband Champions since.

As we move into 2011, NextGenUs is continuing its 2010 work with local broadband champions and other interested folks across Cumbria to bring the same community interest approach to bear for the benefit of each local community.

A most interesting year ahead for the Big Society vanguard in Cumbria - assuming in part that BDUK Market Testing is based around Broadband Vouchers putting procurement control directly in the hands of each members of the local community.

Go Rory's Reivers!