Super-fast broadband booster

TELECOMS group BT says that more than 133,000 homes and businesses across the North West will be next to benefit from its £2.5bn investment in  super-fast fibre broadband.

Twenty-two more regional exchange areas will be upgraded by autumn next year. They are: Accrington, Allerton, Bamber Bridge, Blackfriars, Broughton, Caldy, Fulwood, Higher Bolton, Holmes Chapel, Hooton, Irby, Irlam, Liverpool central, Longton in Lancashire, Manchester central, Mountwood, Neston, Ormskirk, Ringway, Royal in Liverpool, Wallasey and Westhoughton.

This latest phase builds on BT’s existing roll-out plans and will take the total number of North West homes and businesses able to access super-fast broadband to nearly 895,000.

Openreach, BT’s local network business, is carrying out the upgrades. The technology will be available on an open, wholesale basis to all companies providing broadband services.

BT is investing up to £2.5bn to deliver fibre broadband to two thirds of UK homes and businesses, subject to an acceptable environment for investment.

Super-fast broadband, using fibre to street cabinets, offers much faster download speeds of up to 40Mbps, potentially rising to 60Mbps, and upstream speeds of 10Mbps, which could rise to 15Mbps in the future.

Mike Blackburn, BT’s North West regional director, said: “This latest investment in super-fast broadband is great news for many homes and businesses in the region. 

“Fibre broadband has the power to revolutionise the way we use the internet. It has huge implications for the way we live, learn and do business, with massive opportunities for entertainment, education and entrepreneurs.”

Further information about the roll-out, including demos showing the difference super-fast broadband makes, is available at www.superfast-openreach.co.uk