But many more people need to register to show telecoms suppliers the level of demand, which will help to bring better broadband to the majority of homes and businesses in the county by 2015.
Connecting Cambridgeshire is working with local councils and community groups to build a network of broadband champions across the county to support the campaign.
Growing numbers of residents, businesspeople, parish and village representatives, and local councillors are volunteering to help bring better broadband to the areas where they live and work. Some parishes and villages have been particularly active in supporting the campaign by leafleting all their residents and highlighting the campaign on their websites and at local events
Broadband champions, currently 62 county-wide, are helping by:
* Encouraging people to register their demand – online or on paper reply forms
* Promoting the benefits that better broadband can bring at home and at work
* Highlighting the campaign at local events and meetings
* Showing how better broadband can make a difference to work and home life.
The majority of people have registered their support online on the http://www.connectingcambridgeshire.co.uk website, while those without internet access have returned Freepost reply forms, which are widely available with Connecting Cambridgeshire leaflets in libraries and council offices.
It only takes a minute to click on the link to register and it doesn’t commit you to anything. You just need to give your postcode and landline phone number.
Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council with support and funding from Government body BDUK have together committed up to £30 million of investment to the Connecting Cambridgeshire project, which will be used to attract substantial private investment from broadband suppliers.
The aim is to bring access to superfast broadband to at least 90% of businesses and homes and better connectivity for all remaining premises by 2015.
The project is being led by Cambridgeshire County Council, in partnership with Peterborough City Council, the Local Enterprise Partnership, Cambridge City Council and all the District Councils; business, health and education organisations, as well as community groups and parishes.
Cambridgeshire County Councillor Ian Bates, Cabinet Member for Growth and Planning, said: “Thank you to everyone who has registered and helped the campaign get off to such a good start. The more people who do the more likely we are to achieve our aim.
“Some areas have some very active broadband champions doing sterling work to encourage people to show telecoms suppliers the level of demand for better broadband. But we need more people to volunteer, particularly in rural areas such as Fenland.”
A Broadband Champions pack of useful materials and links can be obtained by emailing your contact details to contact@connectingcambridgeshire.co.uk
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