Broadband to Suffolk - date for your diary 12 May 2010

As part of the effort to engage all sectors in the fight for better broadband for Suffolk, the County Council, with the support of Suffolk Chamber and other partners of the Suffolk Broadband Group, is planning a broadband event on 12th May 2010 at Trinity Park to highlight the issues, the progress that we have made so far and what we need to do next to make the dream a reality.

 The event is open to all businesses in the County. The event will set out the context for the discussion:

10am - Introduction – Bruce Provan – Portfolio Holder Economic Development Suffolk County Council

10.15 - Background – broadband in rural areas, poor access, impacts of this on business, learning, cultural development and leisure, recent developments – national (Digital Britain), Regional (EREBUS & EEDA), Local (SCC & stakeholders) –  Fran Bedding and Roger Turkington

Examples of applications and uses for Next Generation Access/Super fast broadband:

10.45 - Telemedicine – showcasing early work with Anglia Ruskin University and idea from West Suffolk Hospital on how faster broadband can both increase access to services and reduce overall costs of healthcare – Gareth Corser West Suffolk Hospital

11.15 - Education applications – Virtual Learning Environment – homework over the web etc 

11.45 - Coffee break

12.15 - Enhanced business efficiency – what can Next Generation Access do for you?

12.45 - Lunch

1.45-2.45 - Workshops – two worked up versions plus others suggested below

• Community level broadband initiatives - examples such as Fram Broadband, County Broadband , Rutland Telecom  
• Commercially viable but affordable examples – Motorola wireless/fibre mix and BT with other solutions – Stig Ohstrand-Lincoln from Motorola/Aidan Paul from Vtesse Networks  and speaker from BT
• Business benefits of NGA broadband access
• Rural deprivation and how NGA can help to address it

2.45-3.15 – Report back from workshops

3.15-3.30 - Way forward 

For further details on how to book please contact:

Frances Bedding

External Funding Manager

Planning & External Funding Team

Planning & Performance Specialist Function

Endeavour House

Russell Road

Ipswich IP1 2BX

Tel:  07714 854998

Email: frances.bedding@suffolkcc.gov.uk