Superfast broadband project in Telford takes shape
Work is under way on Telford & Wrekin's £5.6 million superfast broadband roll-out – and the improved service is due to be available from next year.
Telford & Wrekin Council and BT have announced engineers from Openreach are now laying fibre optic cables and installing new road-side cabinets in parts of Dawley.
As a result, the first residents and businesses in Dawley will be able to start upgrading from this winter. Oakengates and Great Bolas will follow in spring next year.
The Superfast Telford roll-out will enable more than 9,300 residents and businesses across the area to access the technology by the end of 2017.
It comes after BT rolled out fibre broadband in the Dawley area, which has already made the high-speed technology available to more than 5,000 homes and businesses.
Councillor Shaun Davies, Telford & Wrekin Council's cabinet member for business, neighbourhood and customer services, said: "I am delighted that engineering work has started on our fibre broadband programme.
"We have ensured we got the best value for money for our residents and the best deal for Telford. This will support local businesses to more easily and efficiently connect with customers while coping with ever-changing business needs as they develop and grow.
"It's also becoming more and more important for our local residents to access faster speeds as being online becomes a regular part of modern family life.
"Superfast broadband not only makes uploading and downloading quicker but means everyone in a family can do what they want at the same time – enabling people to strike a healthy balance between work and play. It is also vital to have speedy access as more and more services from the council and other organisations develop online facilities."
Over the lifetime of the Superfast Telford project 430km of fibre cabling will be laid – enough to go round the Wrekin 86 times.
Steve Henderson, BT's regional director for broadband partnerships, said: "Today marks another very important stage in the roll-out of an exciting technology, which is transforming the lives of communities across the UK.
"Compared to other projects across the country, Superfast Telford's implementation is small in terms of number of premises, but it delivers one of the highest levels of fibre coverage seen to date."
