£6.2m investment to boost FTTC broadband across Worcestershire

A multi-million pound investment will see the roll out of superfast broadband across Worcestershire and the surrounding area, according to Worcestershire County Council.

Around £6.2 million has been pledged to help extend the superfast broadband to 5,300 homes and businesses in the region via a combination of Fibre-To-The-Cabinet (FTTC) technology and Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) technology.

When the project is complete, more than 96 per cent of homes and businesses in Worcestershire should have access to superfast broadband, including those living in more remote communities.

Commenting on the announcement, Councillor Ken Pollock, Worcestershire County Council cabinet member, stated that it highlighted the council's continued dedication to the improvement of broadband coverage across Worcestershire, which it recognises as "crucial for residents and businesses alike."

"These new contracts prove that we are determined to be one of the best connected counties in the UK, and I'm delighted that our programme is going further," he added.

The news was also welcomed by Mid-Worcestershire MP Nigel Huddleson, who said he was "delighted" that the commencement of the project was in sight.

He said: "It is hard to overstate how critical gaining access to superfast broadband is for Worcestershire residents and I know just how frustrating it has been for the constituents who have not yet been reached by the programme."

Work on the project is set to begin in early 2018 with upgrades due for completion in 2019. This success will build on the completion of two previous stages of broadband roll out, which have already provided ultrafast download speeds of up to 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps) in parts of the county.