The two villages have had a fairly long wait for their local telephone exchanges to be linked into the broadband network, but Staplecross will finally be ‘switched on’ on Wednesday (27 April) and Robertsbridge next week (4 May).
Local residents and business people will get an early opportunity for some hands-on experience of the technology when the Broadband East Sussex bus visits Robertsbridge on Thursday (5 May). It will be at the community hall between 10am and 4pm.
The satellite-enabled bus is on a six months tour of East Sussex towns and villages showing people how they can benefit from connection to the broadband network.
Three trainers are travelling with the bus to demonstrate broadband’s capabilities via a bank of 10 on-board computers.
Anyone wanting to book a demonstration can do so by calling Broadband East Sussex on 01273 482288. But if people don’t want to be tied to a specific appointment, they can just turn up at the bus on the day.
Staplecross and Robertsbridge will be, respectively, the 63rd and 64th of East Sussex’s 65 telephone exchanges to be connected to the broadband network. Ripe will be the last to be upgraded on 25 May.
Robertsbridge businesswoman Tamara Strap, who led the local campaign to persuade people to register an interest in having broadband, said: "It has taken longer than we might have wished, but now that it has arrived I’m sure that Robertsbridge residents and businesses will embrace the technology with enthusiasm.
"I have had a number of emails from people who have moved into the village from elsewhere and were really disappointed they couldn’t have broadband access. It’s one of those technologies. Once you’ve had it, you never want to be without it.”
Tamara, who runs Buckland PR and Design at Salehurst, added: "It will make a tremendous difference to my business and the way I communicate and interact with my clients and suppliers.”
Robertsbridge and Staplecross are typical of the rural communities that will benefit most from the improved communications as more people opt to work from home or set up businesses in rural locations.
But broadband will also be good for the environment. BT calculates that 16 billion fewer miles could be driven over the next two years as home working and online shopping become more commonplace.
Business people in the area who don’t yet have a broadband connection can now also take advantage of financial incentives to help them to do so.
Broadband East Sussex, the county council-led organisation responsible for promoting the spread and take-up of the technology, has partnered with the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) to offer up to 200 firms a £100 grant towards the cost of broadband connection. They are being allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Free and impartial advice is also available to businesses by contacting Broadband East Sussex on 01273 482374 or emailing broadband@eastsussex.gov.uk
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