REYNOLDSTON BROADBAND PROJECT

Roughly fifty households in Reynoldston now receive broadband via the Reynoldston broadband scheme. (For those not in the know, broadband offers high-speed, permanently available or always-on internet connection that does not block your phone line). This was initially a satellite-based system, which was replaced by a landline in early 2006 to improve the speed, but the main wireless infrastructure used to link all the houses together remains unchanged. The Project was part funded by the Welsh Assembly Government Sustainable Development Fund, via the City and County of Swansea. Officials from the National Assembly have been most impressed with the scale of the project and by the fact that that it has taken only six months to become fully operational. Other communities have introduced their own broadband facility but none has had to cope with signals being transmitted over such long distances, from Reynoldston to a transmitter above Horton and then back to other parts of Reynoldston! Much of the equipment had to be brought in from the USA and had to be adapted and tested to ensure its suitability. Reynoldston has been very much 'at the cutting edge of communication technology' due to the limited experience of this type of broadband delivery in the UK, at present. This has been a community venture, managed by a sub-committee of the Reynoldston Village Hall Association. Dave Harvey and Gerard Turley have been the driving force behind the project, contributing so much time and expertise, on a purely voluntary basis. They are currently very much in demand, to share their unique experiences with other villages as well as with national organisations.

 September 2004.Hugh Jones, Dave Harvey and Gerard Turley at the launch of the Broadband Project.

Dave Harvey is now looking at further developments to the facility. I would like to see this facility being used for more than just internet access. Imagine being able to use your PC for free phone calls within the village or even video calls. We can certainly have our own internal community web site and make expensive, but little used resources such as large format printers, available throughout the village. Who knows, dreams Dave, perhaps we could make the village Panto or a speaker at the Monday Club available as a web cast for home-viewing on your PC!

The Project has one to two spare receivers, so if you live in Reynoldston and would like to join the Project or just require more information, then contact Dave Harvey (tel 391660 e-mail dave@reynoldston.com) or Gerard Turley (390864 e-mail gerard@reynoldston.com). More information is available on our community web site at www.reynoldston.com

**** The charge for the Broadband service has been reduced, as from January 2007 to £10 per month. This is for a faster, improved and more reliable service!

Dave Harvey being interviewed for BBC Wales News

These were the headlines in the "Western Mail", reporting on the official launch of the Reynoldston Broadband Project. The village was the focus of media attention with full reports also on BBC Wales TV and radio. Congratulations to Dave Harvey and Les and Rosemary Morgan for their excellent interviews. Assembly Minister Edwina Hart, Cllrs.John Hague and Richard Lewis, representatives from the Broadband Task Force of the National Assembly, Environment and Education Departments of the City, alongside members of the Broadband scheme, attended the recent launch evening.

The Reynoldston scheme was set up because, at the time, there appeared to be little chance of BT providing a service in Gower. The situation may well change but the Reynoldston scheme will continue to be cheaper, significantly faster for large downloads and offers local help and support together with a much more flexible and "user friendly" e-mail system. The Broadband Committee will continue to seek ways of improving the delivery of the service and the range of options available.