Get up to speed with superfast broadband at community event
Residents and small businesses in Stonehouse will have the chance to find out more about fibre broadband and the benefits it brings – thanks to a special event in the town on November 26.
Thousands of homes and businesses in South Lanarkshire are already able to take advantage of fibre broadband, with many more to follow, as part of the £410 million Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband programme.
In Stonehouse more than 2,200 homes are able to receive fibre broadband – in order to do so, residents should contact their service provider.
Engineers from BT’s local network business, Openreach, who are delivering the Scottish rollout on the ground, have installed more than 2,400km of cable on the mainland, while hundreds of new street cabinets have gone ‘live’ for fibre on streets across the country.
Whether it’s downloading a movie in a few minutes, ‘Skyping’ with relatives or uploading some files for work, fibre broadband makes it all quick, easy and seamless for those who sign up to the service.
Anyone in the local community who is interested in finding out how fibre broadband works and how to get it can go along to an information session on board the mobile BT Showcase at Stonehouse Lifestyles Community Centre, 2 Udston Mill Rd, Stonehouse between 11am – 4pm on Wednesday 26th November.
The BT Showcase is a specially adapted vehicle, which features all of the equipment used in the roll-out of fibre broadband. The unique vehicle includes equipment which is familiar to members of the public - like the new green street cabinets - as well as some of the things they don’t often see - like how fibre optic cables are ‘blown’ underground, as part of the deployment.
BT Scotland director Brendan Dick said: “Once the fibre network is in place, making the most of the infrastructure is vital – it brings so much opportunity for developments in education, health and other vital public services as well as skills, jobs and, of course, social use and entertainment. This is a great opportunity for local people to find out more about how they could benefit by getting connected to fibre broadband.”
Sara Budge, Programme Director for Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband, said: “It’s great news that Stonehouse can now receive fibre broadband thanks to the programme. The difference that fibre broadband can make is amazing giving much more flexibility whether it’s at work or in the home. People should pop along to the local event so they can find out more about the benefits and the technology, or contact their service provider to sign up to the service.”
Representatives from the Scottish Government, BT and the council will be on hand to answer questions and show how access to fibre broadband can help in a range of ways from paying bills to accessing council services.
There is no need to book, just turn up at the Showcase to find out more.
ENDS
Background
The Rest of Scotland project is being supported through £157.6million public funding including £50 million from BDUK and BT’s private investment of £106.7million. The public funding includes funding from all 27 local authorities in the project area and additional funding from 14 local authorities who are investing around £51 million to increase coverage, meet local priorities and address the digital divide in their areas. Coupled with the investment in the Highlands and Islands region announced earlier in the year, it brings the total investment in fibre broadband in Scotland to more than £410 million.
The Rest of Scotland project area includes the following local authority areas: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, parts of Argyll & Bute, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries & Galloway, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, Midlothian, North Ayrshire (apart from the Islands), North Lanarkshire, Perth & Kinross, Renfrewshire, Scottish Borders, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, West Dunbartonshire, West Lothian.
The Highlands and Islands broadband project is being led by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and includes the following local authority areas: Highland, Moray, Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands, Eilean Siar (Western Isles), parts of Argyll and Bute and part of North Ayrshire (Islands).
About BDUK
Superfast Britain is a UK 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
