Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
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Digital Derbyshire is a £34m partnership led by Derbyshire County Council and BT, and is supported by the Government, D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership and the European Regional Development Fund to bring better, faster broadband to areas of Derbyshire − mainly in rural areas where fibre broadband hasn't been rolled out commercially.
We have been working with BT to lay hundreds of miles of fibre optic cable and upgrade the equipment needed to roll-out better, faster broadband across the county.
This means thousands of homes and businesses can now order fibre broadband from an internet service provider of their choice.
More than 95 percent of premises in Derbyshire are expected to be able to access fibre broadband by the end of 2016.
A further £7m was announced in June 2015 to help us reach the national target of making fibre broadband available to 98 percent of UK homes and businesses by the end of 2018.
This means most other properties in really hard to reach places where it's not possible to roll-out fibre broadband should get access to at least 2mb per second by the end of 2018, which is enough for general web surfing and sending emails.
BT's own commercial fibre broadband service is currently being deployed to homes and businesses across Derbyshire.
This is funded entirely by BT and has already reached areas including parts of Chesterfield, Dronfield, Buxton, Derby, Ilkeston, Long Eaton and Swadlincote.
Areas not covered by a commercial service may be covered by our programme.
With a project this size, it's not possible to make fibre broadband available to all areas at the same time. Digital Derbyshire began rolling-out fibre broadband across the county in 2014 and the programme is continuing on a phase by phase basis.
Use our postcode checker to find out whether fibre broadband is already available in your area, or to find out when Digital Derbyshire is expected to arrive in your area.
We're working hard to provide the best possible long-term broadband coverage for Derbyshire with the funding available.
The timetable has been drawn-up taking into account factors including the amount of new equipment needed for each area and the number of physical challenges we need to overcome to lay fibre optic cables. Planning requirements can also affect where and when fibre broadband can be made available, as can the availability of suitable technology to provide a service in a particular area.
Neighbouring communities may be served by different telephone exchanges which provide the link to the fibre optic cables for your broadband connection. Some exchanges may need upgrading before they can take on extra fibre which is why some people will be able to order a fibre broadband service before others, even within a very localised area.
Taking all of these factors into account the roll-out is following the most efficient path, giving the best value for money. No area has been scheduled in preference to any other.
The internet and digital technology has become a part of everyday life for most of us whether it's for business use or study, online banking and shopping, watching TV or using social media.
Our reliance on broadband will only grow in the future and fibre broadband will transform the way we all live, work and play.
Fibre broadband is having a massive impact on the way we work − whether we're in an office or at home. It can help businesses to cut costs, access new customer bases and international markets, transform business processes and drive innovation. It's the basis of successful business growth into the future. Fibre broadband is essential for regeneration and making Derbyshire the destination of choice for business investment in the future.
Some of the business benefits include:
- Cloud based services − increased capacity, server storage and cost savings.
- Online file sharing − instant access to shared online work spaces.
- Media-heavy files − quickly download large, media-heavy files.
- Social Media - to connect with new and established customers by uploading videos and other promotional material.
- Home working - reducing the need to travel.
- Increase innovation - ability to access new domestic and global markets − through internet-enabled marketing promotion and data transfer.
Once you've checked the postcode checker to confirm if fibre broadband is available, it's much the same as ordering normal broadband.
There are different broadband providers offering the service, so you can shop around and choose the best deal for you. Read our ordering fibre broadband in five easy steps to find out more.
No. To get better, faster broadband you'll need to place an order with a provider who offers this service.
This is because fibre broadband uses different technology to normal broadband and an engineer may need to visit your home or business to install the necessary equipment.
If you choose not to upgrade to fibre broadband, you'll be able to continue using your existing broadband service as normal.
Prices vary depending on several factors. It's best to shop around though to get the best deal for you.
If the status of your area is currently "in progress" it may be a good idea to keep your options open. Don't tie yourself into a long contract which you can't get out of when fibre broadband does become available to you.
Any questions you have about your current broadband service should go straight to your internet service provider.
You may want to use our postcode checker to find out if fibre broadband is available in your area so you can upgrade to it.
If your property is in a fibre broadband enabled area but your broadband provider is unable to connect you, it could be because your line may be connected to a roadside cabinet that has not yet been upgraded to fibre broadband.
More and more cabinets are being upgraded each month. Check regularly on our postcode checker so you know when your cabinet has been upgraded.
Your telephone line may be too far away from the roadside cabinet to support fibre broadband. Where fibre broadband is not available, we are looking at the possibility of using alternative technology to improve connection speeds.
Most homes and businesses have a green roadside cabinet somewhere nearby which provides the phone and internet connection. Exchange Only (EO) lines are connected directly to the local telephone exchange rather than passing through a green cabinet that can be upgraded with a fibre broadband connection. These lines are generally very close to the telephone exchange or very remote from it.
Some EO lines may be changed to fibre optic cable as part of the Digital Derbyshire programme but some may require alternative technologies such as wireless or satellite to provide a faster speed.
We need to build on the existing network and spread outwards − a bit like a tree with branches.
Starting in rural areas first where there's no existing network to link to wouldn't be cost-effective. Communication technology is evolving rapidly and there may be more options available to help provide a better service in more rural areas at the end of the programme than if we targeted them earlier.
It's possible, yes.
Each internet service provider may offer different packages where equipment could be included as part of your monthly cost.
BT's broadband network is open access which means any internet service provider can use it to offer a service to customers.
Internet service providers will offer different packages at different costs. This encourages competition and means you can buy fibre based broadband at a competitive rate.
Engineering plans and timescales depend on factors such as planning applications, getting an electricity supply to new cabinets and even the weather.
We announce new areas that we're working on at regular intervals so keep checking our website to see when your area is planned.
Any questions you have about your current broadband service should go straight to your internet service provider.
They may be in a position to provide additional support and guidance.
This means you can now order fibre broadband for your home or business.
There are different broadband providers offering this service, so you can shop around and choose the best deal for you.
Read our ordering fibre broadband in five easy steps to find out more.
The green roadside cabinets which contain the technology used to provide you with access to fibre broadband can serve numerous properties.
Houses on the other side of your street may need to link to another cabinet or telephone exchange.
We want to make sure all broadband service providers can get up-to-date information about the locations of newly built infrastructure and how to get access to it.
Please register with BT Openreach to get this information.
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Latest structures
The following cabinets have recently been fibre enabled:
Buxton 42 (Peak Forest)
Hathersage 5 (Thornhill)
Hathersage 10 (Bamford)
Grindleford 11 (Froggatt)
Holymoorside 10 (Wadshelf)
Bakewell 17 (Over Haddon)
Whitwell 17 (Whitwell Common)
Repton 13 (Findern)
How we're doing
107,265
Faster homes and businesses
522,000
Miles of fibre optic cable laid
79
Exchange areas enabled