Superfast Broadband real life stories: David from Carmarthenshire

David Hedges and his partner suffered with slow broadband for years at his eco-home in rural Carmarthenshire. As a home-based worker this regularly affected his virtual meetings and webinars. It also meant the streaming service to their TV was unreliable. 

David looked into the option of a satellite broadband solution for his home. He found that while early satellite systems had a reputation for being slow and expensive, newer systems using Low Earth Orbit (or LEO) satellites were faster and more competitive. He was aware of the Welsh Government’s Access Broadband Cymru (ABC) grant scheme and found he was eligible to apply. 

David called the impact of the ABC scheme on their lives ‘priceless’.

David said:

“Our download speeds now regularly reach between 150 and 450 Mbps. Before we were lucky to get 30 Mbps via a 4G connection, as fibre broadband wasn’t available to us. 

“So much of our lives revolve around internet access that having a fast, reliable service has removed so many hassles in terms of ordering goods and services, making appointments, being able to have uninterrupted phone calls and all the benefits I assume people in towns and cities never have to question.

“Our install was DIY and a little complicated as our eco-house is designed to be airtight. We also had to install a satellite dish at height, to be above surrounding trees, but for most other users it will simply be a question of fixing the satellite dish to their property and running a cable directly through a wall.

“We now have a fast stable connection, and we don’t get any interruptions to meetings, webinars, streaming or telephone calls. It provides much faster speeds and a better overall service than I expected.

“The ABC Scheme really helped because it subsidised the cost of setting up the satellite service which can be a significant expense and outlay. The process to apply isn’t complicated and there is a web based portal that is simple to use. I would encourage people to look into the ABC grant scheme and a satellite system if they want a reliable service and fast speeds.”