Digital Region Project may seek commercial operator to rescue it

[walkerx 10]

that is very true - and i was surprised they never done FTTP where they could as the cable runs past quite a few houses

[Mikes10 10]

I cannot see how DR can continue. The revelation ( if true ) that the 4 councils

have been making secret payments to keep the business afloat will only anger local

council tax payers who want libraries and other services maintained.

 

Some reports suggest DR needs a customer base of around 100,000 to be viable, well

how is that going to be achieved? It would mean attracting customers away from the

existing major providers (BT, Sky, TalkTalk, Plusnet). So if you are having a really

bad experience with your current provider you may decide to move otherwise why should

you?

 

The major providers are advertising on TV most evenings. When (if ever) did you see

a TV Advert for Digital Region? I'm with BT and at least once a month I get a letter/

flyer/ or email offering some service or hardware. Sky and Talktalk send flyers

( delivered by the postman ) offering their services.

 

The DR affair has the echoes albeit small echoes in the UK government's investment in

the Delorean Sports Car of the 1970s-80s: A Parliament inquiry after it's collapse

concluded the project was 'Poorly researched' and 'poorly managed'. However, in mitigation

the car plant was build for political reasons rather than economic.

[Dardandec 32]

So, it is to be closed down after all. Here

[The Joker 10]

So, it is to be closed down after all. Here

 

Well, they might pump another £95million into it to keep it afloat...

 

From the article:

 

The estimated cost of continuing with the project would be an estimated £95.8 million. Closure of the network would save the taxpayer an estimated £12.5 million, and potentially more, subject to negotiations with existing contractors and customers.

 

Nice to know they have the interests of us taxpayers foremost in their mind

[Bonjon 10]

The focus will now be on obtaining the best possible deal for taxpayers and ensuring a smooth transition for existing DRL customers to another provider so that services are not disrupted.

 

I hope they will move me to another Fibre provider who provides the same level of service and a static IP, like Origin do!! Oh wait DR is the only Fibre in my area.

 

Well I hope part of the 12.5m will be some compensation for me returning to slower ADSL.

[Mikes10 10]

Analysis by the BBC

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-23713493

 

 

If DR could persuade BT to takeover the whole shebang for a sweetener of say £10Million

then it could keep the existing customers happy and BT would have a half-decent network

for a song. Doubt if it would happen though.

Edited August 15, 2013 by Mikes10
additional comment

[gremlin_mick 10]

3000 subscribers in total is shambolic.

They could have given them all a 4g mast for what's its cost!

 

Glad I didn't sign up earlier this year.

Surely one of the other big providers will buy their infrastructure?

[Dave h-j 10]

3000 subscribers in total is shambolic.

They could have given them all a 4g mast for what's its cost!

 

I think it was stated by one of the ISPs that that number wasn't correct (i.e. they had more than 3,000 subscribers themselves).

[Ghozer 112]

Digital Region is closing, but will it be good for the public purse??

 

http://www.digitalregion.co.uk/closure-of-digital-region-now-offers-best-deal-for-public-purse

[fake 10]

Analysis by the BBC

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-23713493

 

 

If DR could persuade BT to takeover the whole shebang for a sweetener of say £10Million

then it could keep the existing customers happy and BT would have a half-decent network

for a song. Doubt if it would happen though.

 

 

I think BT will take it over and one of the reasons why certain areas that DR served there was a lack of BT fibre. The cabinets in my area are DR enabled but not BT enabled.

 

Most could see that this collapse would be inevitable especially as the local authority's involved don't have a good track record when it come to outside investment. How can something be successful when it was hardly advertised or promoted.

 

Origin and LBO still seem to be open to orders with no mention of this on their sites.

[Dardandec 32]

http://portal.origin-broadband.co.uk/press

[denomis 10]

Hopefully it's the end of origin pete touting for business.