Mass roll-out of superfast broadband schemes

Mass roll-out of superfast broadband schemes

Local businesses and residents up and down the country are to gain access to superfast broadband with a number of roll-outs announced by British councils in the past week.

Homes and businesses in Wales, Yorkshire, Shropshire, and Nottinghamshire have all been promised faster and more reliable Internet connections by local councils. The news comes after the Government announced last month that it was to make an additional £250 million available across the UK to roll out superfast broadband speeds to more of the country, with the aim of 95 per cent of the UK having access to the fastest connections by 2017.

In Wales six new communities will benefit from new broadband connections, with 30,000 homes and businesses to be targeted. Last year Ofcom revealed that Wales had the lowest proportion of premises with superfast broadband in the UK – 48 per cent compared to England’s 73 per cent. By 2016 the Superfast Cymru partnership plans to double this figure to 96 per cent.

Rural villages in West Yorkshire also look set to gain access to quicker broadband; between July 2014 and March 2015 a number of areas will have superfast broadband installed amid ongoing complaints about the current slow speeds that are hampering residents and businesses alike.

Harewood Councillor Matthew Robinson said: “Fast, reliable internet access is something that has, in only a few years, become an essential requirement for homes and businesses, and it has been a continual cause for complaint that our area suffers from poor broadband speeds.”

An £11 million scheme in Shropshire and a £20 million project in Nottinghamshire were both also announced over the past few days. With funding coming from Government, local councils and technology providers, both investments will see fibre optic cables laid in a bid to establish an infrastructure that will provide local businesses with a platform to grow while also appeasing households' desire for faster surfing speeds.

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