Digital Inclusion (Iain MacInnes)
Argyll and Bute Council · 10 April 2024
Back to Argyll and Bute Community Planning Partnership - Management Committee — 10 April 2024 and its agenda
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Digital Update CPP Management Meeting Fixed Broadband R100 Update The current programme being rolled out by the Scottish Government is the Reaching 100% better known as the R100 programme this is a £600M programme to extend Superfast Broadband (SFB) access to 100% of Scottish premises. Currently there are over 6000 premises in Argyll and Bute in scope of this programme which will provide a number of remote premises access to a Superfast connection. Although this is Superfast Programme every premise in scope will be given access to a Full Fibre Ultrafast connection. However, on the negative side not every premise without descent access is currently going to be served. To counteract this both the UK and Scottish Governments along with OpenReach are aware of the complexities of such a huge infrastructure project. Both UK (project Gigabit) and Scottish Governments (SBVS) are running voucher scheme to provide these premises with assistance out with any government or commercial schemes. OpenReach also have there Fibre Community Partnership intervention that supports communities out with these programmes to access these vouchers as they are supplier led. There has been some significant delays in the build of R100 across our area as OpenReach engage with the Councils Roads Department however measure are in place to mitigate these delays with an accelerated build across the whole area. We will update the partners on a regular basis outlining where build will be happening to alert individual communities to expect significant disruption particularly with traffic movements. Currently 95.1% of Argyll and Bute premises are connected to the fibre network 87.6% can access speeds >30Mbps 0.8% are between 24 and 30 Mbps 2.2% are between 15 and 24 Mbps 1.6% are between 10 and 15Mbps 4.8% are between 2 and 10Mbps 3.0% are below 2Mbps Full Fibre/Ultra-Fast Broadband (>100 Mbps) availability is currently at 15.1% Shared Rural Network (SRN) and Scottish Government 4G infill programme (S4GI) As we all know Argyll and Bute along with other rural areas have been underserved when if comes to mobile coverage from the 4 Mobile Network Operators Vodafone, O2 (now Virgin Media O2 VMO2), EE and Three. EE were the first operator to aggressively build in rural areas due to them being awarded the Emergency Service Network (ESN) as such EE currently have 75% geographic coverage across Argyll and Bute. The S4GI and was a Scottish Government Intervention to provide infrastructure in areas that were not commercially viable. Argyll and Bute have had 7 new multi operator suitable mast built in Southend, Glenbarr, Crinan, Jura x 2 and Mull x 2.
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Similarly, the SRN this is a £1B programme funded by UK Government and the 4MNO’s in a joint venture and is in 2 parts, Partial Not Spot (PNS) sites industry funded £500M+ and Total Not Spot (TNS)sites Government funded £500M. The challenge to this program is that virtually all of these sites sit in remote rural areas and very often designated planning area which comes with added levels of scrutiny by our statutory consultees and can take a considerable amount of time to get through the planning process. As with fixed broadband infrastructure build there is potential for significant disruption in the short term due to the civils work on the road network the is required In most cases mast require a power connection and a fibre connection to provide the backhaul to the network. Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) Switch off The main purpose of this update to make the partners aware of the upcoming switch off of the PSTN. Reportedly this will be completed by the end of 2025 and has caused significant concern among numerous groups. It is wrongly perceived that this is Openreach turning off copper which people that don’t currently have full fibre provision rely on for broadband and telephone connections. The coper network is not getting switched off if is the old analogue switching gear in telephone exchanges that is getting made redundant. Agreed that currently in the event of a power cut homes that still have a old analogue phone can plug it straight into the phone socket in the wall and still make/receive calls as power comes from the exchange will no longer be available but alternative solutions are available and more will be available when the time comes. To allay people fears it will be no more than plugging your existing handset from the wall socket into the back of your broadband router. 99% of phone handsets are compatible with a digital phone service. I request partners to help spread the word The UK’s home phone (landline) service is getting an upgrade. The transition has already started and will continue over the next few years. Soon, most landline calls will be made over a broadband line. The switchover should be straightforward. Your phone number will remain the same, and most handsets work fine with the new system. However, there are some steps you need to take to make sure your landline services continue to work. Your phone company will inform you ahead of the migration, but preparing now can make the transition smoother for you. Nothing Changes for you if • You already have Digital Voice or Internet calls service from your provider. • You are a mobile-only household. If your landline is migrating • Check if other devices are connected to your landline (e.g.telecare, burglar alarms, etc.). • Ask the device manufacturers if those connected devices are digital-ready. • Inform your phone company about your devices. • Let your phone company know if you are a vulnerable customer
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What you need to do If you already have broadband, the switchover could be as simple as unplugging your phone line from the wall-mounted socket and plugging it into the back of your broadband router. If you don’t have access to broadband you don’t need to worry. Phone companies are working on solutions to keep all customers connected and will be in touch. Some households may have other devices connected to the phone line (burglar alarms, telecare devices, fax machines, etc.). If you use such connected devices, check with the equipment providers whether your kit needs upgrading. And, let your phone company know. Beware of Scams Criminals may use the switchover as an opportunity to scam others. If someone contacts you, follow this advice: 1. STOP – Take a moment to stop and think before sharing personal information! 2. CHALLENGE – Never feel rushed or pressured into making a decision. If you’re suspicious, hang up and call the official company number. 3. PROTECT – If you think you’ve been a victim of a scam report it to your communications provider and to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040. Power Outages In the event of a power outage, digital landlines won’t function until power is restored. We strongly recommend you have a mobile phone available for emergencies. Device providers and phone companies have different support on offer for those who need it. Currently there are 2 solutions available • Battery Back-up Units (BBU’s): most suitable for customers that do not have mobile signal. These will be offered to vulnerable customers for free. • Hybrid Phones with built batteries, which switch to mobile network connections when necessary: most suitable for customers with mobile signal. These will be offered to vulnerable customers for free. Vulnerable Customers Vulnerable customers, like telecare users, should inform their phone company about their needs and check if their equipment is “digital-ready.” Telcos are working with local authorities and telecare providers to assist vulnerable customers. Encourage those relying on landlines to contact their phone company and social care provider There have been 4 groups categorised as vulnerable these are • Visual Impairment • Hearing Impairment • Registered Disabled • Telecare user It is crucial that your telephone provider are aware that an individual sits with-in one of these groups so that measures can be put in place as to not migrate their line at the moment and that they are aware that they are eligible for free power outage resilience.
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