Super fast internet on the way to homes

Work will start on the £20m Better Broadband for Nottinghamshire programme - led by the county council and BT - during April.

Bilsthorpe, Farnsfield, Southwell, Kirkby and Sutton will see work start in their areas in May, with work in Mansfield starting in June.

The programme will see over one million metres of fibre optic cable laid and the installation of 2,500 fibre distribution points across the county.

By the time the programme is completed in 2016, 95 per cent of homes and businesses in the county will have access to the high-speed fibre network, making Nottinghamshire one of the best digitally connected counties in the country.

Coun Diana Meale, chairman of the Economic Development Committee at the county council, said: “Being a better connected county is critical to our plans for economic growth and the creation of new jobs.

“Access to broadband will revolutionise the way that thousands of Nottinghamshire people communicate, get information, watch TV, do their homework or sell their products by instantly connecting them with the rest of the world.”

The complexity of the network means that in some cases it can take several months for an upgrade to take place, with the first services expected to be available from July 2014.

The county council is recruiting a team of digital champions to help promote the benefits of the internet, help people improve their online skills, and raise awareness about exactly when and where access to the upgraded broadband network is available. If you would like to join the team in your area email [email protected].

Owen Moody, BT’s regional director for the East Midlands, added: “This investment in fibre broadband will boost the local economy and help to create or protect local jobs. It will be of enormous benefit to local businesses which can use the faster speeds to improve their competitiveness both within the UK and abroad.”

Further information about BBfN is available from www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/broadband - where information about the programme’s progress being added all the time.