Superfast Berkshire

INCA – Transform Digital Conference - Bristol 16th September 2015

Colin Batchelor

Berkshire is relatively small, 6 unitary authorities + LEP, mixed geography

Phase 1 BDUK Framework / BT + Extension (RCBF/BDUK)

Public subsidy £4.6m / 20,000 superfast premises (lottery) 3 Urban districts 90-95% 95% + 2 Semi Rural districts 85-90% 90-95% 1 Rural district 65% 83%

Context & Background

Phase 2 - District appetite / funding varied (individual investment)1 Urban districts £380k2 Semi Rural districts £415k / £615k1 Rural district £3.7m

Overall aspiration for 95% superfast across each districts

Who did we initially engageo BTo A range of ‘alternative suppliers’ (selected from INCA exposure)o Gigaclear and Hyperoptic (FTTP)o Call Flow and Warwicknet (Hybrids)o UK Broadband, AB Internet, Airband (Fixed Wireless)

Confidential Discussions o Testing the market – is there an appetite ?o Our requirements, their solutions, opportunities, views on tender approacho Commercial plans, level of interest, capability and resourceso State Aid requirements / constraints

Engage with the market

Why OJEUo BT’s indicative modelling for 95% superfast coverageo Experience from RCBF procurement

Requirements / Remaining Intervention areao Different district geography likely to attract / need different solutionso District funds to provide coverage for that districto Maximise superfast coverage, no priorities

Procurement / Contracto Restricted tender through a PQQ (reduce our workload) – 6 responseso Based on BDUK framework documentationo Individual lots – suppliers bid for one or moreo Timescales – it took 6 months (Contract notice – Contract award)

Procurement Approach

Phase 2 Lot areas

4 West Berkshire lots split by (A34/M4) 7 individual lots area plus 1 ‘super lot’ (combination of 4 West Berkshire lots) Bracknell and Slough declined as already above 95% Superfast

Outcome o Bids from 3 suppliers (not BT), all lot areas covered o Gigaclear won West Berkshire – 100% coverage / 20% State Aido Call Flow Solutions won 3 lots in the East – 7,000 premiseso Incomplete State Aid approval in 2 lot areas with fixed wireless by 30th June

Did it work ?o Hard work with a small team, worth the effort, positive relationship with allo Mix of solutions and suppliers – wider coverage and competitiono Excellent result for Berkshire - 97% superfast and have ‘100% in sights’

o Considerable pressure to revert to BDUK framework o Share resources with other counties, get a grip on coverage data

Outcome and lessons

Anticipated Coverage by end 2017

Further Commercial deployment planned Funding released from Phase 1 fill in the gaps (white & some blue)