Scawby Brook first to benefit from Northern Lincs broadband project
News welcomed by Communications Minister, Ed Vaizey
Scawby Brook today became the first location to benefit from the multi million pound Northern Lincs Broadband project as high-speed fibre broadband arrived three months ahead of schedule.
More than 120 homes and businesses in the Water’s Edge area will be joined by a further 6,000 premises across North and North East Lincolnshire, which will also have access to high speed fibre broadband speeds within the next five months as a result of the project.
Ed Vaizey, Communications Minister, said: “Today marks the next stage in the transformation of broadband in North and North East Lincolnshire. More than 6000 homes and businesses across the region will benefit from access to superfast speeds within the next five months as a result of Government’s investment, providing a huge boost to the local economy.”
In June last year North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire Councils joined forces with BT forming the Northern Lincs Broadband programme. The programme will build on BT’s investment of £2.5 billion to roll fibre broadband out to two-thirds of UK premises. This investment has already improved fibre broadband connectivity in Brigg, Scunthorpe, Healing and Grimsby with Scartho, and Barton-upon-Humber set to follow by the end of Spring 2014.
The programme will invest a total of £9.6 million to extend fibre broadband to reach 92 per cent of North and North East Lincolnshire. The investment is made up of Government funding from Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) combined with funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), BT and North Lincolnshire Council.1
Andrew Percy MP for Brigg and Goole said, "Superfast broadband is an essential tool for businesses, and a very useful tool for homes. This investment will allow firms in the area to expand and develop, and open up this exciting technology to thousands more people across Northern Lincolnshire.
“I hope that everyone will take advantage of this technology when it arrives so that as a county we embrace all the benefits it has to offer.”
Cllr Liz Redfern, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: “The news that Scawby Brook has received high-speed fibre broadband earlier than expected is fantastic. I must praise the Government for providing us with the funding and MP Andrew Percy for his support. This will be a real boost for Northern Lincolnshire’s economy and just goes to show how hard everyone is working to ensure that around 92 per cent of people across Northern Lincolnshire can access much faster, fibre broadband speeds by 2015.
“Many residents and businesses will be able to start taking advantage of the benefits of high-speed broadband. The digital world is fast moving, which is why we want Northern Lincolnshire to keep up and they will be able to with superfast broadband. It will provide businesses with faster communication, more contract opportunities and increase customers’ awareness.”
The investment in fibre broadband will boost the local economy and help to create or protect local jobs. It will be of particular benefit to local businesses which can use the faster speeds to improve their competitiveness both within the UK and abroad.
Faster broadband will help local businesses find new customers and become more competitive and efficient, whilst for households the high-speed technology will offer new educational, training and leisure opportunities.
Bill Murphy, BT’s managing director of next generation access, said: “Rolling out fibre is a big job – it’s not a question of simply throwing a switch, so the fact that fibre has arrived three months early is testament to the skill and hard work of the engineering teams on the ground and demonstrates our commitment to getting North and North East Lincolnshire superfast – superfast.
“Increasingly, broadband is an essential part of everyday life, whether you’re shopping online, sharing photographs and videos with the family, working in an office or as a homeworker, improving your education or just wanting to download a film or programme online.
“High speed fibre broadband is going to play a huge part in creating and maintaining thriving cities, vibrant towns, successful people and sustainable communities.”
BT’s network will be open to all communications providers on an equal wholesale basis and so consumers and businesses in North and North East Lincolnshire will benefit from a highly competitive market.
Fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) will be the main technology deployed which delivers wholesale downstream speeds of up to 80Mbps and upstream speeds of up to 20Mbps.2
Openreach has also started to make fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) technology, where the fibre runs all the way to the home or business, commercially available on demand in certain areas where fibre broadband has been deployed, and plans to expand access in due course. FTTP-on-demand offers the top current download speed of up to 330Mbps.3
Northern Lincs Broadband has developed a free programme of business support to help eligible small businesses to save time, money and improve efficiency. The programme of dedicated IT specialists and business advisors provides tailored support geared towards maximising the benefits of improved connectivity. More than 30 businesses have already completed the programme with over 50 others currently involved. All businesses who complete at least 12 hours of support receive a free mobile device.
For up to date information on the project and roll-out please visit www.investinnorthlincs.co.ukor www.northlincs.gov.uk
ends
1 BT was awarded the contract following a procurement exercise through the Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) framework.
The Northern Lincs Broadband Programme is part financed by the 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.communities.gov.uk/erdf
2These are the top wholesale speeds available from Openreach to all service providers; speeds offered by service providers may vary.
3Openreach will levy an installation charge for FTTP on demand. It will be up to service providers to decide whether they pass that on to businesses or consumers wishing to use the product.
Notes to Editors:
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
