County better prepared than ever for Christmas gadget rush
With an estimated 55m internet-enabled devices expected to be bought this Christmas in the UK, Nottinghamshire is in a better position than ever before to satisfy demand for good quality access to the internet.
A survey by Ombudsman Services has revealed that gadget-hungry Brits are likely to buy:
• 13m smartphones, including 5 million for first time users
• 19m PCs, Mac or laptop computers
• 13m tablet devices
• 10m games consoles
The festive rush for internet connections is likely to create a huge demand for fast communications , but thanks to the £19.8m Better Broadband for Nottinghamshire (BBfN) programme - led by Nottinghamshire County Council and BT - more of the county's homes and businesses have access to high-speed fibre broadband services than ever before.
BBfN is building on the private sector roll-out of fibre broadband to provide around 95% of the county's homes and businesses with access to the high speed technology by March 2016.
And progress has been rapid since the first broadband cabinet was enabled in June this year.
The programme is well underway, with around 20,000 homes and businesses already able to benefit, with more than 100 BBfN cabinets switched on across the county.
Homes and businesses can check if broadband is available in their area by using the postcode checker on the dedicated BBfN section of Nottinghamshire County Council's website - www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/broadband
With more and more new BBfN cabinets being being switched-on every week, people are advised to check back at the site regularly.
As the programme is delivering a network that is open to all internet service providers, residents and businesses will have a choice of the product and service that's best for them, helping to keep the cost of packages and contracts competitive.
Councillor Diana Meale, Chair of Economic Development Committee at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: "With more and more people accessing the internet every day, it's vital that we have the infrastructure in place for everyone to join the online revolution.
"By March 2016, Nottinghamshire will be amongst the best-connected counties in the entire country, which has multiple benefits, from boosting the economy and creating jobs, to improving access to education and different ways of communicating.
"To have fibre broadband available to 95% of homes and businesses will be great news for Nottinghamshire - but we're not stopping there. We're already well on the way in preparing the next phase of our roll-out which will see faster fibre coverage extended further."
Steve Henderson, BT’s regional director of next generation access said: “The demand for fast, reliable broadband has never been greater in the run-up to Christmas. Now even more people in Nottinghamshire can upgrade to faster broadband, allowing them to use all their new Christmas gadgets and devices to their full potential. Whatever you do on-line you can do it better with fibre broadband.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
Better Broadband for Nottinghamshire
The Better Broadband for Nottinghamshire project, led by Nottinghamshire County Council and BT will change the way Nottinghamshire lives, works, plays and learns by investing £19.8 million to extend the county’s next generation fibre optic cable based broadband network to 95 per cent of homes and businesses.
It opens up huge opportunities to improve the quality of life and leisure prospects for Nottinghamshire families and will open new opportunities through online learning and faster access to information and services. It will provide a huge boost for businesses and the Nottinghamshire economy. Nottinghamshire firms will be able to find and establish new markets (locally, internationally, and globally), increase their competitiveness and create new jobs.
Households and businesses will have to contact their chosen Internet Service Provider to discuss upgrading to a fibre broadband connection.
The £19.8m is broken down as follows: Nottinghamshire County Council - £2.15m; Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) – £4.5m; ERDF - £2.7m; BT - £9.3m; Nottinghamshire District Councils (Ashfield District Council , Bassetlaw District Council, Broxtowe Borough Council, Gedling Borough Council, Mansfield District Council, Newark and Sherwood District Council and Rushcliffe Borough Council) - £1m; Nottingham City Council - £150,000.
About Superfast Britain
Superfast Britain is a Government programme of investment in broadband and communication infrastructure across the UK. Run by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, this investment helps businesses to grow, creates jobs and will make Britain more competitive in the global race. The portfolio is comprised of three elements:
• £780m to extend superfast broadband to 95% of the UK by 2017
• £150m to provide high speed broadband to businesses in 22 cities
• £150m to improve quality and coverage of mobile phone and basic data network services
Administered on behalf of Government by Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK), Superfast Britain is transforming Britain by promoting growth, enabling skills and learning, and improving quality of life.
For further information: https://www.gov.uk/broadband-delivery-uk
ERDF
The Better Broadband for Nottinghamshire project is part financed by the East Midlands European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007 to 2013. The Department for Communities and Local Government is the managing authority for the European Regional Development Fund Programme, which is one of the funds established by the European Commission to help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support local businesses and create jobs. For more information visit
www.gov.uk/browse/business/funding-debt/european-regional-development-funding
