Expanding the service...

We've had some problems with BT - whose website said they offered line bonding, but whose call centre insists they don't - and from the suppliers of the Netgear equipment we need to install to manage network resources. But when that is resolved - a fortnight - we'll be able to improve everyone's upload speed, and add 10-15 new users. I'll keep this site updated - and will be writing to the new users.

Are you using a wireless router at home?

A word of help for those of our users who have wireless routers in their houses.

As you know, our service is delivered through a customer unit fixed (usually) to the eves of your houses. The signal comes in and via ethernet is plugged into your computer. Several users plug the connection into their own wireless router instead.

Please bear in mind that if your internet service drops out, or becomes wobbly, the first thing to do is RESTART YOUR WIRELESS ROUTER. This is almost certainly the cause of the problem (rather than a problem with Lingen Broadband...). If that doesn't work then re-start the Lingen Broadband customer unit AND THEN restart your wireless router, too.

If that doesn't work then please try connecting our service directly into your computer. If you still can't connect to the internet then its definitely our problem - in which case give us a call immediately. When you call please leave your name and number clearly - it will speed things up.

Engineering and service improvements

As you'll remember, our initial aim was to get us all safely beyond the 1st April cut off point: that involved creating a kind of broadband lifeboat and hurling us all into it. Not surprisingly the lifeboat is struggling to keep above water under the weight of 36 of us.

To continue the metaphor, what we're doing today is helping to build the big spacious ocean-going cruiser into which we will all climb (elegantly) later this month.

In less flowery language all this means that today the telecoms which double our bandwidth - to 16mb - were installed. Within a fortnight we will be able to complete the expansion process which will mean a much smoother service for everyone. Not least, it will ease congestion.

If we add a third line - and its being considered - users will find the service truly electric.

The bad news is that today we had some service interruptions whilst our engineers were at work - and more can be expected on or around 20th, when various bits of equipment will be replaced and the new upgraded service come into operation.

Please bear with us: you'd be astonished how complicated all this is to organise. We'll keep disruption to a minimum.

Upload speeds

We think something may be a little awry with our uploading capacity: upload speed ought to be 256kbps, but tests on some occasions are showing speeds from 50-90kpbs. The answer may simply be to try again later: if too many of us are uploading simultaneously then inevitably there will be problems. The alternative possibility is that somehow our telecoms or our network control equipment is not working correctly - and we are investigating these possibilities.

Last Friday some of our equipment was replaced in the hope this would iron out some wrinkles in the system. We will keep you posted.

National exams

Qualifications & Curriculum Development Agency is concerned about the risk of unlawful publication of National Curriculum test questions on the internet in advance of the tests on 10th May. We would like to remind users that this may constitute a breach of our terms and conditions.

Lingen in the News

Not only did Lingen Community Broadband make it onto BBC Tv's Midlands Today on 30th March, but we made a guest appearance in the House of Commons during the pre-election budget debate on 25th March.

Bill Wiggin said: "Broadband is another example of rural communities being badly left behind. Towns and villages in my constituency that are not connected are suffering. Only 58 per cent. of households in the rural west midlands have fixed broadband connections. According to the Commission for Rural Communities, 42 per cent. of rural England can currently only access speeds of 2 megabits per second or below. I have written to Ministers, whose answers show that the Government have no idea of the percentage of business and residential properties in Herefordshire without access to the 2 megabits per second envisaged in Digital Britain. I met representatives of BT the other day to discuss the issue, and they were keen to help, but BT is a business too. It has shareholders, and faces challenges of its own. I am extremely worried that the Government's policy will not work."

Lingen currently has no broadband provider. A company called QiComm used to provide it, but can no longer do so because the service is not commercially viable. Members of the community joined forces to get a service up and running themselves, with the support of the local council. There are 36 users, whose broadband service will be operational from 1 April. That demonstrates what can be done when users get together. However, if they are to pay tax on their phone bills, they will be paying for something that they used not to have but went out and acquired for themselves. I do not think that the Government's 50p tax on fixed-line telephones will deliver the changes that we would all like to see."

You can find the debate at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmhansrd/cm100325/debindx/100325-x.htm

First Members' meeting

Early warning that our first members' meeting - equivalent of a shareholders meeting - will be on 10th June 2010. Members' will get a formal agenda very soon but it is likely to include a financial update and an opportunity to elect directors.