Superfast Dorset on track to 'connect 95 per cent of county' by 2017

Superfast Dorset has announced that its 500th fibre broadband cabinet has officially gone live in the village of Winterborne Houghton, with its residents the latest in the county to gain access to superfast broadband.

The landmark figure achieved by Superfast Dorset, which was funded by Dorset councils, the central government and BT, moves the county of Dorset towards completing its stated goal of connecting 90,000 homes and businesses to superfast fibre broadband by the end of 2017. As it stands, around 90 per cent of Dorset now has the capability of upgrading and using superfast broadband thanks to the partnership.

Initially, getting the fibre delivered to Winterborne Houghton proved challenging, in part due to the village’s location, but also the need to protect an area of Special Scientific Interest. Eventually, a roundabout route was used to get through private land. Now that the fibre cabinet has been connected, it’s anticipated that local businesses will be able to grow. The programme hopes to provide the village with access to better online tools for learning and entertainment for the exceptionally rural community.

District councillor Audrey Burch said the connection will have an enormous impact on life in rural villages such as Winterborne Houghton and will allow new businesses to start up in Dorset, as well as giving current businesses the confidence to grown and increase their trade and reach.

Digital Economy Minister Ed Vaizey said of the announcement: “Our rollout of superfast broadband in Dorset continues at pace, and it's great to see the fantastic achievement so far from the Superfast Dorset team. Nine out of 10 UK homes and businesses can now get superfast speeds, and we are on track to reach 95 per cent of the UK by 2017."

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