ANTONY and Mia Franks have become the first couple to take advantage of a new telecommunications mast in their area.

The mast has been installed near Aberyscir and the couple who live close by are now able to log on to superfast broadband internet beamed to the mast by a transmitter in Brecon.

The mast will broadcast the signal to homes, farms and businesses in the Aberyscir area.

Yscir ward councillor Iain McIntosh was delighted to see the couple finally able to receive an up-to-date internet connection after he began a campaign earlier in the year.

Cllr McIntosh managed to get 200 local people to sign up to a petition to demonstrate there was adequate demand for investment in super fast broadband.

Cllr McIntosh said he had been “disappointed that the Welsh Government hadn’t stuck to their promise” of connecting all homes and businesses to superfast broadband. To that end he set up the Yscir Superfast Internet Project to make sure people living in his ward would not be left behind by the digital revolution.

The mast and transmitter have been installed by Dyfed IT with the help of funding from the Welsh government after the petition proved there was a need for the service.

Cllr McIntosh said: “I’m delighted to be able to announce that the new Yscir Superfast Internet Project has now been turned on.

“Dyfed IT have installed a transmitter in Brecon to start sending a superfast broadband service into the Yscir ward which will be received by a telecommunications mast installed near Aberyscir. This will then broadcast the signal to homes, farms and businesses around the ward. Residents in the Llanfihangel Nant Bran area have had their broadband equipment installed and the first to be switched on was Mr and Mrs Franks. I’m very grateful to Mr and Mrs Franks for allowing Dyfed IT to install equipment on their property that will forward a signal to other properties in the area too. I understand that Dyfed IT are now going to start connecting other residents around the rest of Yscir.

“I’m disappointed that the Welsh Government, BT and Openreach haven’t stuck to their promise of connecting all homes and businesses to superfast broadband. I realised that this would be the case some time ago and initiated the Yscir Internet Project to get residents within Yscir a service that meets the demands of modern technology, online shopping and TV streaming.”

Dean Houghton of Dyfed IT said: “Dyfed IT are proud to be working with Cllr McIntosh and the residents of the Yscir ward to provide superfast broad across the area.  Carrying on from the successful rollout in the Crai, Trecastle, Heol Senni and Ystradfellte communities, we’re continuing the expansion of our Superfast Wireless broadband network into rural areas of Powys.  

“We are on track to switch on the first residents of Yscir, in the Llanfihangel Nant Bran valley, with all other areas following shortly.  We like to thank the residents and landowners who continue to support the rollout.”

Cllr McIntosh said if anyone else within Yscir or neighbouring areas would like to join the project they should get in touch soon. Residents are being offered a 30mb connection for £29.99 per month from Dyfed IT with no installation fees.