Superfast broadband has arrived in Conwy, with the first residents and businesses signing up to the high-speed service.
Xwavia, a company dedicated to providing superfast broadband to rural and hard-to-reach areas in Wales, recently launched the first phase of its new network in Conwy and has announced the first customers to sign up to the service.
Paul Evans, who has lived in Conwy for eight years, signed up to the superfast service within weeks of it going live. Prior to using Xwavia, the 30-year-old had suffered with extremely slow broadband speeds, often receiving a connection of 0.5 mega bits per second (mbps) or less.
Not only did this affect Paul’s ability to browse the Internet, but accessing personal and business emails also became considerably difficult.
The new network, which harnesses a number of broadband technologies including fibre-optic, wireless and copper, has enabled Paul to enjoy the benefits of a high-speed connection, from streaming HD TV to Skyping relatives from afar.
Paul said: “I have spent the last 11 years with another major internet supplier, using both dial-up and broadband packages. I continually had poor download speeds, which limited the way I could use the internet to stream music or keep in touch with my friends and family.
“Since using Xwavia, my connection and speed is beyond a level I ever expected at my house. Tasks such as sending emails that used to take between five and ten minutes are now completed instantly.
“Not only can I now stream music and talk to my friends with programmes like Skype, but I can connect to my graphic design business computers from my home, enabling me to remotely access work emails and documents from the comfort of my lounge.”
Alongside residential customers, Xwavia also provides superfast broadband to businesses in Conwy, and has recently secured its first commercial customer, Gwynedd Forklifts.
The firm, which was established in 1986, supplies a range of new and used lifting equipment, from forklift trucks to scissor lifts.
It relies on its website to showcase its current stock for customers and requires constant updates to ensure its product-range is accurate. With access to superfast broadband, the website now updates at lighting speed and the firm can now create high quality newsletters to current and prospective customers.
Paul Singleton, Managing Director of Gwynedd Forklifts, said:
“We are a business that relies on the ability to regularly update our website to include our latest fleet, which constantly changes as equipment is bought and sold.
“With superfast broadband, this is no longer an arduous process and is completed quickly and efficiently. We can now also produce higher quality newsletters with high definition graphics and designs, something we could never have achieved before.”
Janet Finch-Saunders, Assembly Member for Aberconwy, who has called for the roll-out of superfast broadband across Wales, said:
“It is fantastic that residents and businesses in Conwy now have access to superfast broadband.
“Access to a high-speed broadband connection should not be limited to those who live in ‘hot-spot’ areas and should be an accessible and affordable option for everyone. I hope the customers will be the first of many to enjoy the benefits of superfast broadband in Conwy.”