Project Stages and Status
This covers the project steps up to contract signature on 23 March 2020.
For a summary of process since then, see the home page.
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1. Check current and planned availability
- The first step is to see if fast fibre is coming to our area by using the line checker at communityfibre.openreach.co.uk
Completed in early December 2019.
Checks confirmed that there was no plan to extend the coverage of superfast broadband in Compton Village.
2. Register interest in having a community fibre partnership
- Use the simple form at communityfibre.openreach.co.uk
Completed 11 December 2019
Adrian Walmsley filled in the online form to register the project, so he was identified as the Community Lead.
3. Openreach sends us the information we need to start to gather interest for a community fibre partnership with them.
Completed: 11 December 2019 Email received with project reference number CFP39505 .
We entered details (addresses and postcodes) of all 117 properties in our area which cannot get superfast broadband.
We confirmed that all properties would be eligible for DCMS Rural Connectivity vouchers.
4. Engage with our community and build support for the partnership
Done: Initial discussions with small sample of residents indicated that this was a project worth pursuing.
5. Openreach provide us with an indicative costing
Received.
31 December 2019: Initial cost estimate received from Openreach suggested that we would be asked to raise £56,097.00
6. We discuss the cost in our community
Done: Discussions with Compton Village Association and small sample of residents suggest that this target could be achievable with the use of DCMS Rural Connectivity vouchers.
7. Openreach generates a firm quote
Received.
Final quote letter dated 31 January 2020 says that our contribution to the project costs will be £44,971 (subject to contract).
The quote is said to be valid for 60 days.
We hope that the entire contribution can be raised through DCMS Rural Connectivity vouchers.
8. The community gets together to generate our part of the co-funding
- We’ll need to pay half our share of the costs when we sign the contract with Openreach, and the balance when the infrastructure is delivered – around a year after we’ve signed.
- Openreach offer guidance and material to help.
Completed early. Voucher target reached with some to spare by end Feb 2020
We
- distributed leaflets explaining the process,
- posted a detailed information and a list of Q&As on this website,
- answered questions face-to-face and by email
- collected sign-ups for DCMS vouchers
8a. Pre-contract
Done: Submit details of voucher requests to Openreach,
Done: Openreach passed them to DCMS for validation.
Openreach only submit enough vouchers to cover our share of the costs. We have a buffer of vouchers in reserve in case some fail validation.
Hold public information meeting Wed 11 March for those who have signed up, and to agree the constitution for the new company which we will have to set up. (see below).
9. Openreach plan and build the infrastructure
- Once we’ve signed the contract it’s over to Openreach to build the infrastructure.
- As soon as the infrastructure is live, residents will need to contact their preferred internet service provider (ISP) to upgrade to fibre. Because the Openreach network is open to hundreds of providers, we can shop around for the best deal.
- As FTTP is rolled out nationwide, the number of service providers who offer FTTP is increasing
Contract Signed
Openreach requires that the contract be signed by a “Legal Entity”.
The Parish Council decided on 3 March 2020 to award a grant to the project for setting up a limited company.
Other signatory options included an existing company, the Parish Council, or various forms of non-profit entities – from unincorporated entity (which does not have to be registered at the Companies House), or various forms of limited companies (which require registration). It would include a community interest company (CIC) or company limited by guarantee (CLG).
At the Public Meeting held in the Scout Hall, Martins Fields on 11 March 2020, those present voted in favour of setting up a limited company to sign the contract with Openreach.
Compton Community Fibre Partnership Limited was formally registered with Companies House on 13 March 2020 as Company number 12517142.
The contract with Openreach was signed on 23 March 2020, timestamped 7:53pm.
More recent updates are being reported on the home page of this website.
