It all seems a long time ago now but, to get broadband Internet provision in country areas campaigns had to be run in order that BT would enable local exchanges. At Quantock Online we actively camapaigned by gathering signatures and submitting details to BT - directly resulting in several local exchanges becoming enabled. This is a small selection news articles from around that time.
Broadband all around!
March 6th 2004
BT announce that Holford exchange will be enabled for broadband by 30th June
Feb 21st 2004
Bt announce that Bishops Lydeard exchange will be enabled
for broadband by July 28th
Feb 9th 2004
BT announce that Kingston St Mary exchange will be enabled
for broadband by May 26th. Sorry, we were a couple of days late announcing
this one!
Jan 28th 2004
We have just put through the last few registrations for Holford (which
also serves Kilve & East Quantoxhead). The exchange will be enabled for
broadband! Thanks to The Plough Inn, The Hood Arms and Kilve Stores for their
help in gathering registrations. It was a touch difficult to read some of the
details filled in at the pubs!
Campaigning by Faster Internet and several others meant that Bishops Lydeard reached it's trigger level on Jan 25th. Dates for these two exchanges to be enabled will be announced in a couple of weeks (we hope!)
Jan 13thBT announce Stogumber exchange to be enabled by 28th July. This will not show up on the BT registration page since the date is more than 150 days away.
Dec 24th 2003
BT announce Williton exchange will be enabled by 17th March.
Dec 21st 2003
It's all happening so fast now! David Pielow, who helps run the campaign Faster
Internet, has been out gathering registrations in Kingston St Mary over
the last week. Thanks to his efforts in gathering over 80 registrations, yesterday
Kingston hit their trigger level. Date for activation to be announced.
Dec 19th 2003
Teresa, one half of Quantock Online, visited Nether Stowey exchange with local
MP Ian Liddell-Grainger and Robin Seaman from BT to inspect the new broadband
equipment.
It might not look much but this equipment which connects the optical fibres coming into the exchange can handle up to 700 telephone lines with broadband connection. Unexpectedly, BT had to re-lay over 3Km of existing fibre optic cable which was found to have been damaged.
Dec 4th 2003
Our campaign in Spaxton has been successful! The exchange
will be enabled by 3rd March!
Our thanks go to Kit Houghton, Debbie Cook (his secretary), Peter Stokes, John Merchant, Neil Singleton and Angela Lampson for their magnificent efforts in spreading the word and gathering registrations. Well done!
Spaxton exchange also serves Enmore, and all numbers beginning 01278 671xxx
This news follows our intensive campaigning in Nether Stowey where we also succeeded in reaching the required number of people registering interest for BT to enable the exchange for broadband service. The exchange is now enabled! Our thanks must go to Quantock Stores and Castle Stores for their great effort in helping with the campaign.
Stowey exchange serves: Adscombe, Aley, Burton, Fiddington, Knighton, Nether Stowey, Over Stowey, Shurton and Stogursey.
