Connected Communities Delivery of Superfast Broadband Services to Nant Ffrancon and Bwthyn Ogwen

Tender description

Menter Môn in partnership with Snowdonia National Park, the National Trust and Gwynedd Council are seeking to appoint a suitable contractor to set up and install a superfast broadband network along Nant Ffrancon and Bwthyn Ogwen. Superfast Broadband has become an essential utility that enables people of all ages to work, learn and play using digital devices at their home or place of work. Unfortunately, despite the on-going efforts of both national and local Government and telecommunications companies there remains a significant number of communities across rural Gwynedd & Anglesey where families, businesses and visitors are unable to access these essential services via a superfast Broadband connection to the internet. The Welsh Government’s Phase 2a rollout is tasked with ensuring that a significant number of these disconnected communities get connected to superfast broadband, however this still leaves nearly 10,000 properties across Gwynedd & Anglesey with no planned or signed off dates for provision of superfast Broadband network services to their address. Connected communities is a project run by Menter Mon, with the support of Cyngor Gwynedd Council, Anglesey County Council & the Welsh Government that aims to provide these disconnected communities with the capability, knowledge & access to resources that will help them get connected to superfast broadband themselves. The first part of the project was to identify areas in Gwynedd & Anglesey where there were clusters of homes and businesses that were currently excluded from the planned extension of superfast broadband across north-west Wales. Once those areas had been identified using GIS and Welsh Government data sources, clusters of properties where the landscape and other factors such as potential connection points emerged that made them viable for consideration. Areas that were deemed technically feasible were verified and further data was recorded i.e. no. of businesses, suitable connection points etc. Letters, emails and maps were sent to all County Councillors that had these areas within their wards in order to make them aware of the scheme and how it worked. Where there was interest, meetings were arranged to gain further understanding of the specific needs and level of interest/support for taking action to improve their lot. The communities detailed on this site are what have emerged from this process. In total nearly 500 properties and businesses are located within these clusters with the potential for additional properties and businesses within each community to come through further community engagement. This RFQ is for the set up and installation of a superfast broadband network across the community of Nant Ffrancon and a Community Wi-Fi network and IoT gateway in Bwthyn Ogwen. Aims and Objectives Menter Môn has identified through consultation with its inhabitants and businesses based at Nant Ffrancon and Bwthyn Ogwen a requirement to provide a Superfast Broadband service to all identified properties and businesses. Menter Môn, through the Connected Communities programme, carried out initial technical feasibility and has identified a potentially viable network anchor point that has full fibre capability. Menter Môn propose to enter into a 3 year contract for the installation and provision of a Superfast Broadband network as described in the specification.