Jonathan Hoskyns: A fruitful fibre connection

Customer profile

Jonathan Hoskyns runs North Perrott Fruit Farm in South Somerset with his wife. The farm has recently shifted its focus from supplying supermarkets to serving local customers through its popular farm shop. As both a residential and business customer, Jonathan knows how important fast, reliable internet is for staying connected and running a rural business efficiently.

He also serves on the North Perrott Parish Council and has long been involved in the village’s campaign for better broadband.

The challenge

For years, North Perrott struggled with slow and unreliable internet. Jonathan remembers the constant effort required just to stay online.

“We were forever balancing our internet over two copper lines just to get something workable,” he says. “I’d be on the phone to the provider once a month, sometimes more, trying to get it sorted.”

The poor connection caused problems not only for the farm shop but also for basic day-to-day tasks and online council meetings.

The solution

Wessex Internet brought its full fibre network to North Perrott, offering a much-needed upgrade. Jonathan was impressed by how quickly the team moved and how smoothly the project was handled.

“We’d been waiting for fibre for years,” he explains. “Wessex did the job ten times quicker than anyone else and really got on with it.”

The land access process started well, and although the original plans had to be adapted, the team was careful and professional throughout. They made sure underground infrastructure was identified and avoided and kept communication clear at every stage.

“I mostly dealt with the site managers, and they were excellent. When something didn’t go to plan, they sorted it. That’s the mark of a good manager.”

The results

Since being connected to full fibre, the difference has been remarkable. Jonathan says the improvement has transformed life in the village. “It’s been astonishing. The parish council used to be full of complaints about the internet, but those have completely disappeared,” he says. “And I haven’t had to call anyone for support in the last 12 months.”

The service now supports day-to-day life at the farm, keeps the shop connected, and allows residents to rely on the internet for everything from streaming to business operations.

Fibre that supports rural resilience

Jonathan’s story is a great example of how strong, reliable connectivity can unlock potential in rural areas. For him and the wider community, fibre broadband has made a real difference.

“Underneath, there’s a whole new infrastructure, but on the surface, you wouldn’t even know it’s there,” he says. “What you do notice is that everything just works.”