Change of mind by BT blamed for loss of broadband firm and 14 jobs Julian Ridge reports
Fourteen high tech jobs have been lost and 150 internet users left stranded following the demise of a company providing wireless broadband to Portreath.
1st Broadband SW was set up to provide broadband access to the internet for people living in communities where BT had no immediate plans to upgrade their local exchanges.
In 2000, BT made it clear that it had no intention of enabling its Portreath exchange for broadband until 2007.
So 1st Broadband took up the challenge and laid on the wireless service in the village and surrounding area.
But in 2004, BT changed its mind, and enabled the Portreath exchange.
After making a substantial investment in the network, 1st Broadband was faced with unexpected competition and has not survived, leading to the job losses.
Additionally, around 150 wireless subscribers have lost their broadband connection.
One of them is parish councillor Chris Watts, who was instrumental in getting the technology into the village in the first place.
He said: "When those of us in Portreath, Bridge and Cambrose invested in the equipment needed to receive wireless broadband we did so on the understanding that BT would not be enabling the Portreath exchange for several years.
"We now find that as soon as we get a stable wireless connection up and running, BT suddenly changes tactics and enables the Portreath exchange. What are we supposed to do with our broadband equipment?"
ActNow, the Objective One-funded company set up to accelerate the use of broadband in Cornwall, said it was sorry to see the problems being experienced by 1st Broadband.
It had offered subsidies to encourage businesses to use the 1st Broadband network, as it had to those using the BT service.
Emma Lydon, ActNow's marketing manager, said it was important that the wireless network survived, as it was still the only access that some users had to broadband.
She said: "We are in daily contact with the directors of the Concept Group, who own the 1st Broadband network, to try to support them and to find a way that the network can carry on.
"If it can't be owned by a business, then I think we will be looking at some kind of community ownership scheme."
E-mail: julianr@c-dm.co.uk
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