Superfast Telford fibre broadband roll-out speeds on ahead of schedule
Superfast Telford’s roll-out of faster fibre broadband is ahead of schedule with the new technology already available to more than 1,000 households and businesses in Dawley and Oakengates, lead partners Telford & Wrekin Council and BT announced today.
The major milestone comes just a year after the £5.6 million roll-out – part of the Government’s Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) programme - was announced and only three months after it started connecting the first premises to faster fibre broadband.
Councillor Shaun Davies, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for Customer Services and Business, said: “It is fantastic news how quickly the project is progressing with residents and businesses in the first communities receiving the new technology ahead of schedule. Superfast is truly being delivered Superfast!”
Bill Murphy, BT’s managing director of next generation access, said: “Superfast Telford is an excellent example of the public and private sectors working effectively together for the good of the local community. As a result of this great team work, especially at the early planning stages of this project, we’ve been able to bring the benefits of faster fibre broadband to more households and businesses earlier than originally planned.”
By the end of 2017, around 9,300 homes and businesses will be able to get faster fibre broadband as a result of the Superfast Telford partnership with 8,800 of them able to access ‘superfast’ download speeds of 24 megabits (Mbps) and above.
When combined with the private sector’s commercial investment, it means 98 per cent of homes and businesses in the borough will be able to access high-speed fibre broadband by the end of next year.
Local households opting for an upgrade will be able to order fibre broadband with download speeds of up to 80 megabits per second (Mbps) and uploads of up to 20Mbps*.
The network being installed by Openreach – BT’s local network business - will enable people to choose from a wide range of broadband service providers. All the latest information on the programme can be found on the partnership’s website www.superfast-telford.co.ukincluding a map searchable by postcode.
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Note to news editors:
* These are the top wholesale speeds available from Openreach to all service providers; speeds offered by service providers may vary.
Further information for the media is available from:
Russell Griffin, Public Relations Team Leader, Telford & Wrekin Council on 01952 382407, or email russell.griffin@telford.gov.uk PR Ref 9044
Or
Emma Tennant at the BT regional press office on 0800 085 0660 or email: emma.tennant@bt.comTwitter:@EmmaTennantBT
All BT news releases can be accessed at our web site: www.btplc.com
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. As of 31 March 2016, BT consisted principally of six customer-facing lines of business: BT Global Services, BT Business, BT Consumer, EE, BT Wholesale and Openreach. With effect from 1 April 2016, the group has been reorganised and the customer-facing lines of business are now: Global Services, Business and Public Sector, Consumer, EE, Wholesale and Ventures, 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.
British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York.
For more information, visit www.btplc.com.
About Superfast Britain
Superfast Britain is a Government programme of investment in broadband and communication infrastructure across the UK. Run by the Department for 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:
- £790m to extend superfast broadband to 95% of the UK by 2017;
- £150m to provide high-speed broadband to businesses in 22 cities; and
- £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
