Update on FTTP broadband in the parish

Last night, 2 March, the parish council hosted a Zoom meeting where a representative from Airband, a provider of FTTP full fibre to the premises broadband, and Oxfordshire County Council, gave an update on the process, current status and likely timeline.

It was notable that OCC endorsed Airband as a reputable company with the financial resilience to be reliable.

Airband made it clear that more ‘expressions of interest’ – as opposed to contractual obligation – were needed for the programme to be financially viable.

Airband agreed that regular communication with parishioners, that is, those who have expressed interest, has been lacking and this will be rectified going forward.

It is also apparent that many in the parish have questions that they want answering including… how the fibre is installed, where it is installed in the home, actual data speeds, will I still need a phone line, and how reliable the service is. There are no doubt countless more and Airband is happy to answer each and every one.

If you have any questions, please forward them to  who will collate and forward to Airband. In time, a FAQ will be prepared and circulated to the parish. There are no ‘silly’ questions – so ask anything.

It should be remembered that in exchange for a two-year contract, Airband will install and provide equipment without charge to householders. Prices are reasonable – £29.99/month for 150mb download or £39.99 for 250mb download.

A key point to note is that in 2025 the traditional copper network will start to disappear – no new copper wires will be installed and aluminium will be used instead for new installs and repairs. Aluminium is said to be a poor relation to copper.

Coronavirus has illustrated the need for faster and more reliable broadband connectivity.

For more information on Airband see here or to express interest, email