Majority of Bucks and Herts connected to superfast broadband

The majority of homes and businesses in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire now have access to superfast broadband, thanks to a fibre optic broadband rollout programme in the two counties.

The Connecting Counties programme has stated that 92 per cent of premises in Hertfordshire and 90 per cent in Buckinghamshire are now connected to fibre optic broadband. The first phase of the programme has now reached 65,000 properties since 2014, with a second phase is due to add a further 30,000 businesses and properties across the two counties by June 2018.

According to Philippa Batting, the managing director of Buckinghamshire Business First, Buckinghamshire has the “largest concentration of small businesses in the country”. What's more, many of the companies are located in difficult to reach areas, with many premises “work from home or in the countryside”.

“Thanks to the Connected Counties programme delivered by Buckinghamshire Business First on behalf of Buckinghamshire County Council and local partners, we now have plans in place for almost 95 per cent of the county to receive superfast broadband,” Batting added.

With the first phase successfully reaching its targets, the Connected Counties programme now has plans to rollout its second phase where it's hoped that 95 per cent of the county will be connected to superfast broadband. According to the programme timeline, it’s set to launch later this year and will be supported by the government’s Superfast Extension Programme (SEP), as well as further local funding.

Martin Tett, the leader of Buckinghamshire County Council, said: “High speed broadband is a modern life essential, not a luxury, for every resident and business. That’s why it continues to be one of the county council’s top priorities.

“It’s good to see that we’ve made great progress connecting residents and businesses in areas that commercial providers would otherwise consider uneconomical, but there’s more work to do to ensure that everyone has access.”

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(Image: Bidgee)