In Shropshire’s more secluded locales, nearly 200 residences and businesses are now connected to ultra-fast gigabit broadband, thanks to a partnership involving Kloud9, the UK Government, and Shropshire Council’s Connecting Shropshire initiative. This significant upgrade was facilitated by the government’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, aimed at bringing gigabit-speed broadband to some of the UK’s most remote areas.
This scheme heralds a new chapter in digital connectivity for the rural expanses of Shropshire, particularly enhancing the lives and operations in Ditton Priors by providing access to exceptionally fast Gigabit broadband.
The project, spearheaded by Kloud9 in August 2023, was aimed at ensuring that the community of Ditton Priors wasn’t left behind in the digital evolution, now offering Gigabit broadband speeds, an essential service for modern living.
“Gigabit broadband has become a necessity rather than a luxury. Rural villages like Ditton Priors are in real danger of being left in the broadband dark ages. It was a pleasure to work so closely with the community,” Julie Bushell, the Community Engagement Manager at Kloud9, remarked on the project’s impact.
A Ditton Priors resident shared their experience, noting the project’s swift completion, which connected most homes by the festive season. The upgrade included the local village hall and Willows Café, enhancing the café’s service capabilities with seamless card transactions and free Wi-Fi for customers, thus elevating the overall patron experience.
“The work Kloud9 did for the café has made a real difference. The broadband was so bad that the café staff used to struggle to take card payments. However, Kloud9 installed some free wireless access points, which also allowed customers to browse the internet while enjoying the great coffee and delicious cakes available at the café,” a local resident explained the transformation.
This initiative in Ditton Priors is part of Kloud9’s wider strategy to improve digital infrastructure throughout Shropshire and the UK, with many more projects on the horizon as part of the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme.
Reflecting on the project, Alex Jackson, CEO of AJ Technology, shared his satisfaction with the team’s efforts, particularly the opportunity to connect with the community and deliver a reliable network in time for Christmas.
Kloud9 has already replicated this success in Cleehill and Cressage and is planning four additional projects in the region.
Cllr. Robert Macey, Portfolio Holder for Culture & Digital at Shropshire Council, expressed his enthusiasm for the project: “I’m really pleased that AJ Technology has benefitted from Shropshire Council top-up funding of DSIT’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme. This additional funding has enabled AJ Technology to work at pace to install their full-fibre broadband network in some of Shropshire’s more rural communities, bringing them into the digital fast lane.”
