Super-fast broadband sites unveiled
Updated on 23 March 2009
Telecoms giant BT has announced the first locations where substantial numbers of customers will have access to fibre-based super-fast broadband via the firm's network.
The technology will be deployed from early 2010 at 29 exchanges across the UK, bringing high speeds within reach of 500,000 homes and businesses.
Areas of Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Greater Manchester will be amongst the first locations, BT announced.
Most of the areas are urban, but two of them - Calder Valley, near Halifax, West Yorkshire, and Taffs Well, near Cardiff - are smaller and BT said it will be looking to learn lessons from deploying fibre technology in such environments.
The next set of locations, serving a further million homes and businesses, will be announced in the autumn. Monday's announcement is the next stage in the UK's biggest ever investment programme in super-fast broadband.
The firm has pledged to spend £1.5 billion by 2012 to ensure that 40% of UK homes and businesses - some 10 million premises - can access fibre-based services.
Steve Robertson, chief executive of Openreach, the division of BT responsible for the delivery of the plans, said: "Super-fast broadband is essential to the UK's future and so it is great to announce this initial set of locations.
"The wider industry will now be able to plan ahead as we will be making our services available on a wholesale basis. This approach will benefit customers as there will undoubtedly be fierce competition for their business.
"We have worked very closely with industry and with local and regional authorities to choose these sites and I would like to thank everyone who has worked with us to make this happen. We are in discussions with many other authorities so expect many similar announcements in the months to come.
"The regulatory picture is complex and, whilst Ofcom has given us a very welcome green light, we will require a few more over the coming months. We remain confident though that Ofcom recognises the need for an environment that encourages investment."
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