BT announces superfast broadband for Cornwall.

BT is to provide super-fast broadband to up to 90% of homes in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, in the biggest rural fibre optic roll-out in the UK to date.The project, due for completion in 2014, could provide a blueprint for future rural broadband projects.

The £132m funding pot is being shared between BT and the European Union.The government said it was "a big step" towards its goal of having the best broadband network in Europe by 2015.BT has been under pressure to help reach the 30% of homes which, under current plans, will not benefit from next-generation broadband services. The telecoms giant will provide £78m worth of funding, with the European Regional Development Fund contributing around £53m - the largest investment of its kind made by the EU.

The roll-out will begin immediately and run until 2014 with the first customers being connected early next year. BT will work closely with Cornwall Development Company, the council’s economic development company, to plan deployments and will also engage with planning and highways departments. The project will be supported by a major marketing programme, skills programmes and support to ensure businesses make the most of the new technology.


The areas to benefit will be announced on a rolling basis and will be agreed by the project partners in consultation with other broadband service providers. The new network will be available on an open, wholesale basis to all communications providers ensuring local businesses and homes benefit from a competitive market. Cornwall has a strong reputation for pioneering initiatives, such as the actnow broadband project which was recognised by the EU as an exemplar project for e-business. Since 2002 actnow has helped more than 10,000 Cornish businesses make the most of broadband through marketing, grants, advice and technical support.

For local businesses, the super-fast network will underpin the introduction of many new services and applications. Users will be able to run multiple bandwidth-hungry applications at the same time and send and receive large amounts of data much more quickly and efficiently. Computer processing and storage of files will also become more sophisticated and secure using ‘cloud computing’ technology. There will be faster back-up of computer systems and wider use of high quality videoconferencing within firms and between them and their customers.



With a connection speed approaching 100Mb (10-30 times faster than most people's current connection speeds) for 'Through the Gaps' viewers this will mean HD video articles in the future - stay tuned!