Gloucestershire site ‘gone from having worst broadband in the UK to the best’

A broadband provider claims it has transformed a static mobile homes site on the edge of Cheltenham from having the worst broadband in the UK to the best.

In December 2018,  price comparison and switching service uSwitch said Green Meadows Park in Bamfurlong had the slowest broadband speeds in the UK.

Residents were said to have internet speeds averaging just 0.14Mbps, meaning it would take more than 102 hours to download a two-hour HD film.

By comparison, the UK average is 46.2Mbps and NASA achieved download speeds of just under 20Mbps on the moon.

Now Gigaclear says its fibre-to-the-property connections in Green Meadows Park are capable of delivering download and upload speeds of up to 900Mbps, meaning it would take less than a minute to download a 2.5-hour HD film.

Spokesman Joe Frost said: “We believe passionately in the importance of digital inclusion for all, no matter how rural their chosen home or business is, and we are delighted that our network is bringing best in class broadband speeds to residents of Green Meadows Park in partnership with Fastershire.”

Fastershire is a partnership between Gloucestershire County Council and Herefordshire Council to bring faster broadband to the two counties.

Mr Frost added: “We hear time and again how an excellent internet connection can really transform lives, be it accessing important social and retail services remotely or simply keeping in touch with family members living far away.”

Green Meadows Park resident Nick Prior said Gigaclear had recently finished the upgrade work.

He said: “They’ve put fibre in all the way round, in all of the mobile homes.

“Nobody yet has taken them up. I don’t know what speed you will get.”

He said he understood the internet provider was likely to be more expensive than others but he suspected he would have little choice but to sign up to its service.

“We’ve got no alternative really. As far as I’m aware, it’s the only realistic option,” he said.

Gigaclear said its work at Bamfurlong was part of an 18-month project, that had seen more than 380km of ground dug up.

It said more than 70,000 homes and businesses across the county were expected to benefit from the upgrade.

Information is available on which premises are included in this phase of the rollout by clicking here.