Access to fast broadband is increasingly important for residents and businesses wherever they are in the United Kingdom.
Too often broadband is patchy or, in some cases, not available at all for those who live outside the big towns. As your MP between 2017 and 2019, I held Openreach and others to account to improve broadband coverage in North East Derbyshire. In December 2017, I raised the issue of broadband in North East Derbyshire in the House of Parliament: http://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/706cc696-4af9-4cbf-992d-d8ca1eeb29…. Since 2018, I have also had a regular dialogue with Openreach, from the CEO down, to ensure that North East Derbyshire made progress.
And we've taken some huge steps forward. Renishaw has been upgraded and, for the first time, Spinkhill was connected in 2019. In early 2020, we also had breakthroughs on new estates in Wingerworth and Grassmoor which hadn't been automatically connected when they were built but, finally, obtained broadband after a long fight.
Yet, the work also needs to go on - too many villages and rural areas still tell me that their broadband access and speeds just aren't what they need to be to be able to use the internet properly. As your MP I will continue to work with providers to deliver you improvements.
Do you live in an area where broadband is extremely slow or not possible? If so, I need to hear from you! Please get in touch at lee.rowley.mp@parliament.uk and I will continue to ensure that improvements happen across North East Derbyshire.