More Shropshire communities to benefit from fibre broadband
The next communities to benefit from the £24.6 million Connecting Shropshire fibre broadband partnership were announced today.
Alberbury, Aston on Clun, Boningale, Clungunford, Cosford, Cross Lane Head, Halfway House, Little Brampton, Ploxgreen, Pontesford, Purslow, Quatford, Snailbeach, Stoke St. Milborough, Upton Magna, Westbury, Withington and Yockleton will be the next places to get high-speed broadband as part of the programme.
Fibre broadband will be coming soon to these areas with people able to order services from Spring 2014.
Last month Montford Bridge became the first rural community to ‘go live’ as part of Connecting Shropshire. The programme is gathering momentum with roadside fibre broadband cabinets going live each week, including in Harlescott, which was announced earlier this month, with Bicton also now ‘live’. Albrighton, Ford, Minsterley and Pontesbury will follow before the end of March. Residents and businesses in these locations will be able to enjoy broadband download speeds of up to 80 megabits per second and uploads of up to 20 Mbps.
Connecting Shropshire is a partnership between Shropshire Council, BT and the Government’s Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) that will enable more than 62,000 rural or very rural homes and businesses in Shropshire (excluding Telford and Wrekin) to access faster broadband.
The combined investment from Connecting Shropshire and BT’s own commercial programme will mean 93 per cent of homes and businesses in the Shropshire Council area will have access to fibre broadband by the end of Spring 2016.
Shropshire households and businesses are able to order fibre broadband from a wide range of internet service providers as the network is open to all providers on an open, wholesale basis, thereby ensuring competitive prices.
Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council Cabinet member responsible for broadband, said:
“It’s great to be able to confirm even more areas as part of the first phase of the programme. For the people and businesses in these rural communities it’ll mean that they will be able to gain access to higher broadband speeds sooner than they thought; in this day and age, it’s becoming ever more important to have fast and reliable broadband to get on in business and in life.”
Mike Cook, BT’s regional director for the West Midlands, said:
“The internet is playing an increasingly important part in all our lives which is why the strong progress being made by Connecting Shropshire is so important. Whether it’s small businesses keeping in touch with their customers and suppliers, children doing their homework or playing interactive games online, grandparents staying in touch with their grandchildren, or people working from home. Each of these things is made easier, quicker and better by faster fibre broadband.”
To check whether you can access fibre broadband services contact your internet service provider or go to www.connectingshropshire.co.uk.
