Norwich to get broadband boost
Norwich to get broadband boost
Council and business leaders have welcomed the news that Norwich is to get faster broadband.
BT will this year roll out high-speed fibre broadband to an additional 23,500 Norfolk homes and businesses. The move should make upload and download speeds for residents and firms significantly faster, BT says.
Brenda Arthur, leader of Norwich City Council, told the Norwich Evening News, “This is excellent news for many people in the area. In a tough economic climate, this local investment from BT will help make the region an even better place to live, work and do business.”
Caroline Williams, chief executive of the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, added, “Reliable, fast connections can make a significant difference to education and business, give access to new services and link to global markets.”
High-speed internet is already available in some parts of Norwich, as well as surrounding areas such as Great Yarmouth, King’s Lynn, Cromer and Dereham. However, locals campaigned for the programme to be rolled out more widely. Over 15,000 residents and businesses backed the Yes to Better Broadband campaign.
The campaign was launched in January by the EDP newspaper and Norfolk County Council and aimed to gather specific data on the demand for broadband so that investors could be persuaded to invest in better local services.
Norfolk County Council is providing £15 million towards the initiative and that sum will be matched by Broadband Delivery UK. A further cash boost will come from a yet-to-be-selected private sector partner.
Dave Hughes, BT regional director for the East of England, stated, “Local firms and households who make the switch to fibre broadband will be able to do so much more with their connection, whether they’re using it for business, entertainment, education, social networking or shopping – or all of these at once.”
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