Nearly 60,000 Herefordshire homes and businesses now able to join high-speed fibre broadband highway
NEARLY 60,000 HEREFORDSHIRE HOMES AND BUSINESSES ABLE TO JOIN
HIGH-SPEED FIBRE BROADBAND HIGHWAY
Roll-out includes 380 kilometres of fibre optic cable and the installation of 275 green fibre cabinets
Nearly 60,000 households and businesses across Herefordshire are now able to access superfast fibre broadband, according to new figures announced by BT today.
Communities across 35 telephone exchange areas in the county can already get the high-speed technology. (Please see notes to editors).
They include Hereford, where more than a third of households and businesses able to get fibre have already opted for an upgrade. County-wide more than 17,000 households and businesses have so far signed up for fibre.
Engineers from Openreach – BT’s local network business – have so far laid more than 380 kilometres of fibre optic cable, installed 275 new road-side fibre cabinets and 50 other structures.
Ian Binks, BT’s regional manager for Herefordshire and the West Midlands, said the major milestone was a result of BT’s own commercial investment and partnerships with the public sector.
He said: “Rolling out this exciting new technology in a rural county like Herefordshire is extremely complex and poses numerous engineering and geographical challenges. Of course, every effort is made to keep any disruption to an absolute minimum. We would like to thank residents and motorists for their patience if they have been affected by any of the important work that’s been going on, and also express our gratitude to local land owners and parish councils which have helped us access many areas of the county we have needed to reach in order that we can carry out this vital upgrade work.
“Every day we’re hearing how people’s lives are being transformed by superfast fibre broadband. Everything is easier, better and faster with fibre. Small businesses and homeworkers can quickly share large amounts of information with their colleagues, customers or suppliers, children can do their homework more easily, and families can use the new technology to plan a holiday or simply go online shopping.
“Because the roll-out is being carried out by Openreach, residents and businesses opting for an upgrade can choose from a variety of fibre broadband providers, with more than 140 now operating in the UK.”
Note to Editors:
The exchange areas where fibre broadband is available include: Bartestree Cross, Bridge Sollars, Brimfield, Bromyard, Burghill, Burley Gate, Canon Pyon, Carey, Eardisley, Fownhope, Harewood End, Hereford, Holme Lacy, Kington, Lea, Ledbury, Leominster, Llangarron, Lyonshall, Madley, Moccas, Much Marcle, Pembridge, Pencombe, Peterchurch, Pontrilas, Ross-on-Wye, St Weonards, Sutton St Nicholas, Symonds Yat, Tarrington, Trumpet, Upton Bishop, Weobley and Wormelow.
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Issued by the BT regional press office. For more information please contact:
Emma Tennant on 0800 085 0660 or email: emma.tennant@bt.com Twitter: @EmmaTennantBT
About BT
BT’s purpose is to use the power of communications to make a better world. It is one of the world’s leading providers of communications services and solutions, serving customers in more than 170 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to its customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband, TV and internet products and services; and converged fixed-mobile products and services. Following the acquisition of EE on 29 January 2016, BT consists principally of six customer-facing lines of business: BT Global Services, BT Business, BT Consumer, EE, BT Wholesale and Openreach.
For the year ended 31 March 2015, BT Group’s reported revenue was £17,979m with reported profit before taxation of £2,645m.
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