Spotlight on delivering broadband to hard-to-reach communities in south-west Wales

Plans to bring superfast and ultrafast broadband to more areas of south-west Wales will be unveiled at events run by a Carmarthen-based rural broadband specialist.

Voneus, which already serves communities across four counties in Wales, is running a series of events across Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion targeting areas which are not yet covered by them and have been calling for good broadband speeds.

The broadband provider will detail how it will bring network builds capable of download and upload speeds from 50Mbps to 1Gbps, introduce residents to their local team and give them the chance to look at routers, mesh products, and equipment which will be installed on their properties.

The presentations will be led by bilingual members of the Voneus community engagement team, so that Welsh and English speakers will be able to receive information and advice in their preferred language.

Naomi Marshall, head of the Welsh community engagement team at Voneus, said: “With the pandemic moving basic services like doctor appointments and grocery shopping online, slow broadband speeds have become a huge issue for those living in areas of Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire which have been left behind from high-speed broadband roll-outs.

“These events are focused on giving local people a chance to meet us and learn all about what it is we do, as well as ask any questions they may have about bringing superfast and ultrafast broadband to their homes and businesses.

“We are not looking to sign up people to plans or sell them anything, but rather we want to embed ourselves further within the region and showcase just what it is we do, and I encourage anyone who is curious about broadband to make their way down for an informal chat.

“Our top priority is bringing about a better-connected tomorrow for hard-to-reach areas, and these talks are an important step in that process to let the community know we are committed to delivering this vital service to them.”

Each event, which will include a presentation and the chance to ask questions, will run for an hour and a half and will be held at:

• Crymych Market Hall on November 15 at 2pm to 3.30pm, 4pm to 5.30pm, and 6pm to 7.30pm.
• Newcastle Emlyn Rugby Club on November 17 at 2pm to 3.30pm, 4pm to 5.30pm, and 6pm to 7.30pm.
• The Hywel Dda Centre in Whitland on November 18 at 1.30pm to 3pm, 3.30pm to 5pm, and 5.30pm to 7pm.
• Llandysul Cricket Club on November 19 at 2pm to 3.30pm, 4pm to 5.30pm, and 6pm to 7.30pm.