Hundreds of customers have been affected by news that internet service provider AB Internet Ltd, which was committed to bringing superfast broadband to hard-to-reach rural areas of Monmouthshire, plans to go into administration.

The business was working in partnership with Monmouthshire County Council and the UK Government to ensure that homes and businesses across the county could enjoy internet connectivity at super fast speeds ‘thanks to ground-breaking technology which connects premises where fibre fails to reach’.

The first MCC knew that AB Internet was in difficulties was when they saw the formal notification on the company’s own website on Friday afternoon.

AB Internet is believed to have between 500 and 600 customers in the county.

Councillor Bob Greenland, Monmouthshire’s cabinet member with responsibility for enterprise said, “We recognise that some residents have been adversely affected by AB Internet’s intention to place the company into administration and so the council has intervened.

“We are working directly with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport body Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK), Welsh Government and others to ensure the continuation of the existing service until a new buyer is found.

“AB Internet has not kept the council updated about its actions. The pilot scheme was funded by BDUK. No money was provided by the council.

“We will continue to work closely with all partners regarding the long term viability of the infrastructure. Meanwhile, we hope that the company can be sold as a going concern and its customers suffer minimum inconvenience.”

An MCC spokesman told the Chronicle on Tuesday, “We are advised that although some customers have experienced difficulties, the service has been or is being reconnected and we will continue to work with UK Government, Welsh Government and other service providers to ensure the continuation of the service until a new buyer is found.

We have been advised that a local internet service provider, Spectrum Internet, is assisting customers where possible and has prepared a link dedicated to AB Internet Stakeholders on its ‘Contact Us’ page which can be found at https://spectruminternet.com/ab-internet-customer-contact-form.”

Back in March 2016, the Chronicle reported that the UK Government’s Department of Culture, Media and Sport had invested £850,000 to help connect the county as part of its £10m Technology Pilots Project.

Wireless internet of up to 50Mb download speed was now said to be available to all, thanks to AB Internet’s state of the art ’line-of-sight’ connectivity ‘which allows residents to connect to the internet without even needing a phone line’.

Councillor Greenland said at the time, “This landmark initiative makes the county better connected and more resilient in the digital age as a great place to live, work and play and more competitive in the Cardiff Capital Region.”

He added “The initiative also helps the authority to make a reality of its iCounty vision to become one of the most inspiring spaces for digital advancement, an iCounty characterised by a growing digital economy, a smarter public service and a more networked society.”

AB Internet was described as a market leader in delivering super fast broadband to some of the very hardest to reach places - credentials which would ensure Monmouthshire was equipped with the technology that would make it ‘one of the UK’s fastest wireless hotspots’.