Vodafone Rural Open Sure Signal - #ROSS100

[Retired-Simon]

What is Rural Open Sure Signal?

Our new Rural Open Sure Signal programme (#ROSS100) will see our Open Sure Signal boxes deployed in 100 rural communities across the UK, enabling people in those places to benefit from this potentially life-changing tech.

Places that sit in geographical basins, have very small populations or where (due to planning restrictions or legal considerations) we can’t put radio antennas, are very difficult to reach with traditional mobile kit. That’s why we developed Open Sure Signal – to take a different approach.

Using a more powerful version of the same technology found in our home Sure Signal devices, we’ve been able to bring 3G coverage to 12 UK villages in our initial trial. Cranborne in Dorset was one of the first to feel the benefit, and you can read all about how we made a difference there by visiting the Vodafone Blog.

What do I need to apply?

It’s a community-led initiative. It’s up to the people in each town or village to rally together and apply with the help of a volunteer ‘Village Champion’.

That means that if you live in a mobile signal not-spot area and think it’s time for a change, it could be you that helps bring our 3G mobile signal to your rural community.

Before sending us your application, make sure your community has:

•          Nominated a Village Champion
•          Suitable sites where we can install Open Sure Signal units
•          Permission from landlords and property owners to use these sites
•          A minimum of 4Mbps broadband speed at each site
•          Support from your local parish council, MP, AM or MSP

To find out more, see our FAQs.

Applications for Rural Open Sure Signal close on 14 October 2014, and we’ll begin rolling the tech out to the first of our chosen locations by the end of the year. Good luck!

What support will be available?

Nominated Village Champions will have access to a dedicated #ROSS100 community board on our eForum.

The Village Champion will need to register on the eForum and provide their username.

This will be the place to discuss the impact Rural Sure Signal is having on your community, talk to other Village Champions and give feedback to Vodafone.

[SmoothOperator2]

Will the ROSS scheme applications be re-opening again for 2015?

I would be interested in organising this for Blandford Forum, Dorset.

It's the home of the Royal Signals...Communications....but the 3G here is quite poor...partly because the town sits at the bottom of a valley.

No news yet of 4G rollout here either.

[Agreenha]

I would also like to work with VF to bring this small cell technology to our parish if the program opens again in 2015.
Thanks
Andy

Bishopstone Parish Councillor

[Retired-Matt_B]

Hi everyone,

Keep an eye on our website for further updates on any further trials/rollout.

Thanks,

Matt

[johnnysailorboy]

ANY signal would be great. how about getting good quality 2G across Norfolk rather than 3 or 4G in some areas already well served.

[Paffman]

johnnysailorboy - too right. When we go up to Norfolk on holiday there is zero signal, it's like the land time (Vodafone) forgot.

[GrumpyOlgit]

As a 'notspot' community in rural Dorset, we have recently been disappointed by the MIP when the prime contractor pulled out citing difficulties which apparently could not be resolved before the end of the MIP period in Apr 16.  The upside is that we now have 'superfast broadband' via BT Openreach accessible in some parts of the area, which could support a ROSS installation.

We now need to review how we get an essential mobile phone service into our community, but there doesn't seem to be any undertaking by Vodafone to run another ROSS programme, or similar, in the foreseeable future.

Can you give us some indication of when/if Vodafone intend to make a decision on this?

What other technologies might be available to achieve a similar result?

Grumps:smileyfrustrated:

[Retired-Wayne]

@GrumpyOlgit

There are no further trials or rollouts planned for the Rural Open Sure Signal scheme at the moment.

Keep an eye on our blog for more details.