Have your say on superfast broadband improvements in Wiltshire (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Have your say on superfast broadband improvements in Wiltshire

11:01am Friday 3rd February 2012 in News

Wiltshire Council wants residents, businesses and people from the telecoms industry to take part in a consultation to help bring superfast broadband to most of the county.

The public consultation will help to identify areas across Wiltshire where internet access needs to be improved.

The unitary authority is working with South Gloucestershire and Swindon councils as part of a joint bid to secure a contract to improve broadband availability across all three areas.

The aim is for the councils to share resources and save money by jointly procuring a solution to bring superfast broadband access to businesses and homes in the area.

The multi-million pound project, backed by £4.66m in Government funding, aims to provide broadband access to areas that currently cannot get access to superfast broadband, or even standard broadband in some cases.

Rural areas will benefit most through the project, in which Wiltshire Council has invested £16m, so communities and businesses will have better access to the internet.

As part of the exercise, broadband providers will be consulted on their existing networks in the area and their plans to deploy superfast broadband over the next three years, so the councils have the most up-to-date information for the prject and can identify the areas needing investment.

Wiltshire Council also wants to hear from businesses and residents in areas where there is less than a 2Mbps service available and also from people where superfast broadband is incorrectly shown – a map detailing where superfast broadband is meant to be available will be shown as part of the consultation.

Wiltshire Council’s deputy leader, John Thomson, said: "Currently there are around 90,000 businesses and homes in Wiltshire that are unable to access superfast broadband.

"We are committed to ensuring at least 85 per cent, and hopefully up to 95 per cent, of all premises will be able to access superfast broadband by 2015.

"A recent survey carried out by the council showed just how crucial fast internet access is to businesses and these plans will give an essential boost to the local economy."

To find out more about the consultation, see www.wiltshireonline.org The consultation closes on March 1.

TBids from commercial suppliers will begin in this spring with the contract announcement due in the summer.

Work to install the network is expected to start in December with the first residents and businesses able to sign up for superfast broadband shortly after.