In May I held the first Mid-Norfolk Rural Broadband Seminar and after much popular demand I am holding a bigger and better Rural Norfolk Broadband Summit in December, which I am inviting all local businesses and residents to attend.

Friday 6th December, 7pm, at Dereham Football Club, Norwich Road, Dereham, NR20 2PX I welcomed the Government’s £1bn fund and in 2010 and 2011 I campaigned for a £15m grant from Broadband Delivery UK, which was matched by Norfolk County Council. I continue to support the NCC / BDUK Scheme, but feel that we can’t just sit on our hands and wait for BT, when there is a range of innovative local schemes out there, such as ITSwisp, Rural Broadband, WISpire and Blue Orb Broadband which could help fill the broadband void and “complete the final mile”.

The Summit will include:

1. A progress report on the Norfolk County Council Broadband Programme in collaboration with BT: find out which areas are receiving fast broadband first

2. An update on the wider range of broadband technologies available today from other providers in Norfolk

3. A Q&A Session: Your chance to grill the experts

4. An opportunity to meet and hear from a number of local broadband providers
The aim of the summit is to provide you with an outline of the different providers and hopefully a particular solution and provider to suit your household, neighbourhood and business broadband needs.
Places are limited and will be available on a first come first serve basis, so to confirm your place, please let me know at: george.freeman.mp@parliament.uk.