Last update 10.00 8 April 2012 by Eric Malcomson

This site keeps you up to date with the status of the introduction of superfast broadband into the Tove Valley.
Our Expression of Interest to DEFRA for financial help to introduce superfast broadband to our area HAS BEEN ENDORSED!

For those who wish to help with publicity or require a fuller statement of intention, please visit our News page.

The Tove Valley area includes the villages of Abthorpe, Slapton, Wappenham, Weedon Lois, Weston and the surrounding more isolated properties and hamlets. You can see a coverage map here, but if you are not quite within the area, it might be worth contacting us and expressing your interest - we like a challenge!

Abthorpe Broadband Association (ABbA) provides 50% of broadband services to Abthorpe and Slapton residents and businesses and has identified a need for superfast broadband (30Mbps and above) within its area. BT do not, nor does any other Internet Service Provider (ISP), have any current plans to provide superfast broadband services into this area.

The government through DEFRA have made available a fund - the Rural Communities Broadband Fund (RCBF) - where communities can receive 50% grants towards provisioning superfast broadband services to areas which are not of commercial interest to mainstream ISPs. You will not need me to spell out that the Tove Valley area is off the radar as far as commercial providers are concerned.

Abthorpe Parish Council and Northamptonshire County Council supported ABbA in completing an Expression of Interest to DEFRA.
DEFRA informed ABbA on the 23rd March 2012 that our EoI had been endorsed, and has invited us to proceed with a Full Application for grant support.

The next stage includes final quotations from suppliers to provide superfast broadband to the area and a more detailed breakdown of how the service will be made available to the communities.

To complete this stage, we have to canvas for interest from potential subscribers. If you can be pretty confident that you would take up the service within the next two years (we acknowledge you may have contract commitments from your existing supplier) we would appreciate your completing the form here.  There is absolutely no obligation in doing this.

The finances are such that to provide superfast broadband, ABbA needs 200 subscribers, and would therefore need to cooperate with surrounding communities, offering a service to the wider area identified as Tove Valley above. The target charges are between £60/year and £240/year depending upon the service required. You can see more detail here. These are much less than  mainstream superfast broadband ISP charges. ABbA currently charge £60/year for less than 2Mbps service as they operate as a not-for-profit community Company. We hope to complete installations sometime in the Autumn of this year.

Let's be clear about this - this is a truly community driven initiative which has the potential to deliver what many in the communities desire. It is down to the communities to get involved by influencing and helping to establish this service.
For example, Abthorpe held their broadband AGM on the 31st January of this year and the support for the venture was unanimous.

If you want to get involved or would like more technical information, use our Contact Us form.

Get involved!