Couple’s Lives Transformed By Superfast Broadband

“There’s no reason other couples can’t see Merthyr as a well-connected place – physically and digitally” say newlyweds whose lives have been transformed by superfast broadband ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A newly married couple from Merthyr Tydfil is getting behind a campaign to promote the benefits of superfast broadband and encourage its further adoption across the county. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Emma Arter, 28, and her husband David, 32, moved from Newport to Merthyr two years ago and were worried about internet reliability when moving from an urban to a rural area outside the town centre. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Now the young couple is supporting a Welsh Government campaign to encourage others to use superfast, after witnessing first-hand how it can help them live and work flexibly, around their work and family life. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The couple, who live in Heolgerrig, rely on an efficient internet connection for David to work from home for web development company mySociety. Each of the company’s employees is remote and regularly video call each other for meetings, meaning a reliable internet connection is vital. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Emma also works from home at times and relies on a secure internet connection for accessing office networks. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As a couple, they use streaming services and multiple devices and, with friends dotted across the UK, they also need a strong internet service for catching up with people via Skype and Facetime. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Emma said: “When we moved from Newport a few years ago, one of our key considerations was a strong internet connection and we were really concerned that moving from an urban to a rural area might affect where we chose to set up our new life together. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Dave relies on a good internet connection for his work, as every employee works from home, so it’s pretty key to our livelihoods really. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Adding to this, at any given time our household is running Apple TV, Now TV, our laptops, Kindles and an Xbox, so a fast internet connection is a must. We also really like socialising so it’s important for us that friends can come over and use our internet, and we can Skype in people who can’t make parties! ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“From speaking to other people in Merthyr I think a lot of people just aren’t aware that superfast is so widely available here. There’s no reason other couples like us can’t see Merthyr as a well-connected place – physically and digitally. We’re proof that you don’t need to be in a city to benefit from good internet speeds.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

With 98% of the Superfast Cymru roll-out programme complete in Merthyr, the Welsh Government Superfast campaign is aiming to promote superfast broadband to residents to demonstrate its benefits and encourage its further use across the county. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

While most of the county can now access faster broadband should they wish to do so, a small percentage of premises are not yet able to access it. Assistance is also available for them on the Welsh Government website or by contacting the Welsh Government broadband team*. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Welsh Government Minister for Skills and Science, Julie James, said“While the majority of homes in Merthyr can now access superfast broadband should they wish, many people are simply not fully aware of its benefits or how it can be accessed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As Emma and David’s story shows, faster broadband speeds are enabling families and individuals to carry out their activities with greater speed and efficiency than ever before, and on multiple devices. This includes activities such as downloading large learning resources for children, managing bank accounts, shopping for groceries, paying household bills or using video services such as Skype. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We want as many people as possible to realise these benefits, and this campaign is aiming to showcase how the technology is impacting thousands of lives in communities across Wales.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Households and businesses in Merthyr wanting to take advantage of the benefits of fast fibre broadband should contact an internet service provider (ISP) of their choice to place an order. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This also includes information for those not yet able to receive superfast broadband as support may be available through the Welsh Government’s Access Broadband Cymru scheme, which provides grant funding to access superfast broadband through other means. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​