Digital Minister Visits B4RN
August 23rd, 2021
Author: Mark Gray
Posted In: Latest news
Digital Minister Matt Warman and B4RN CEO Michael Lee watched ducting being ploughed in near Pendragon Castle.
B4RN welcomed the Digital Minister to Mallerstang as discussions continue over changes to the government’s gigabit voucher scheme in Cumbria and Northumberland, and how these changes will impact B4RNs build programme.
Volunteers from those counties met Matt Warman to outline why that funding stream is so vital, with B4RN delivering full fibre gigabit broadband to the most “hard to reach” places in England.
Under Project Gigabit, gigabit voucher funding will be paused in Cumbria and Northumberland towards the end of September.
Mr. Warman watched ducting being installed using a mole plough at Pendragon Castle before seeing trained volunteers getting homes ready for B4RN by splicing and fusing fibre. After training from the B4RN team, Mr. Warman spliced a customer’s fibre – joining them to the B4RN network.
B4RN CEO Michael Lee said: “It’s great the Digital Minister is listening. Gigabit voucher funding has allowed B4RN to connect thousands of properties to a future proof fibre network, delivering world-leading speeds.
“We hope by showing Mr. Warman how a network can be built by the community, for the community, B4RN can continue to benefit from gigabit vouchers in Cumbria and Northumberland.”
As it stands, B4RN groups in Cumbria and Northumberland are still encouraged to get as much sign up as possible.
Volunteers from Cumbrian and Northumbrian projects made their case to the Digital Minister
The Digital Minister watches B4RN volunteer Barry Cheeseman working on a house connection.
B4RN’s Jorj Haston training the Digital Minister how to splice fibre.
The Digital Minister gets his JFDI wooden spade!
A big B4RN thank you to the Moorcock Inn for opening specially and laying on lunch for the B4RN and DCMS teams.
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