Broadband for Milton Keynes

Members we met face to face for the first time:

Paul Herbert, Willen
Steve Young, Great Holm
Paul Campion, Broughton
Colin Zealley, Great Linford

If I've missed anybody, let me know!

Points arising:

• Re-leaflet estates
• Local Deputies
• BT Meeting
• Membership numbers in the various MK estates
• What's going on with the Council's Pilot?
• Bizarre BT Cable routing
• Satellite Broadband is not always an option
• Will BT Introduce local exchanges?
• BT will loose revenue.
• Favoured ISP's

Anything missing? Let me know.

Re-leaflet estates

The simple small leaflet we've used works well. If a householder doesn't recognise a URL or ADSL, the eco-friendly sized slip is binned.

We need to know who wants ADSL.

Obtaining information on who has already got ADSL would help identify the fringe areas and boundaries of the service.
(Get this from BT?) (I don't think it's worthwhile collecting this data.)

I'll coordinate leafleters to blitz estates.

BT Meeting

There'll be a small group of us meeting BT on the 22nd. I'll invite members from our group representing different estates within Milton Keynes. (Not Nick's beer swilling chums in Monkston that will be busy watching internet movies!)

For this meeting the following estates are represented: Great Holm, Middleton, Loughton. (Subject to confirmation.)

A second larger meeting will be organised. A room will be hired and all members invited.

Will BT Introduce local exchanges?

This will be a question for the above meeting. How will BT resolve the problem of people "falling down the gap"? Why can't BT be open and say ADSL is NOT available in certain areas? It would save people moving house, frustration, and stamp duty!

(A new member joined today: Dave from Glasgow enjoys ADSL. He moves to Middleton totally expecting ASDL, now is exasperated with BT.)

BT will loose revenue.

Providing a customer with IDSN2e brings in more revenue than an ADSL. ISDN £400 pm. ASDL £9 after the ISP takes their cut.
Why should BT bother providing us with ADSL?

Bizarre BT Cable routing

Simon lives in Monkston: Colin Middleton.

Simon's copper cable is 2.84km to the exchange in Fishermead. Colin lives 800m from Simon. Colin's copper cable is over 6km. Why?

Colin reported that a friend had a similar issue, and found that there were two "green boxes" at the end of his road. The original one, through which he was connected, was connected in relay to another box elsewhere, giving a total distance well over 6km; the newer green box was connected direct, and his neighbour was on that box. Getting his connection switched from one box to another was not going to work, so he ordered a new line (with the BT engineer helping him to use the right words to ask for it to go through the newer green box), then when that was installed he dropped his old line. It worked.

What's going on with the Council's Pilot?

"It's our only hope for us in Middleton."
I need to find a member that keep tabs on Mr Jewell and progress with the council's pilot.

Favoured ISP's

What are members experiences with their ISP's?
Members are satisfied with the following: Zen, Bulldog, Eclipse, Nildram.

Satellite Broadband is not always an option

If you have trees in the way - there's no signal! (Paul's experience of a survey in Broughton.)

Membership numbers in the various MK estates

Here are the number of members in each estate.