North Yorkshire set to receive broadband transformation

NORTH Yorkshire County Council and technology company NYnet have been selected to take part in a major new government-backed scheme that will transform broadband access for rural communities.

The Rural Market Testing Project will see super-fast broadband introduced in up to 27 market towns in North Yorkshire where broadband provision was previously considered economically unviable.

As a result, NYnet will dramatically expand its programme of superfast broadband roll-outs to North Yorkshire’s towns and villages, directly benefiting an estimated 11,400 businesses and 220,000 people.

The project is run by Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK), a government organisation that has been tasked with ensuring that all areas of the UK can receive broadband access by 2012 and high-speed broadband by 2017.

North Yorkshire has been chosen alongside Cumbria, Herefordshire and the Scottish Highlands as rural testing grounds to assess how superfast broadband can be made commercially viable in rural communities and to identify what form of government support would be most suitable.

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David Cullen, NYnet chief executive, said: “I am delighted that North Yorkshire has been selected as one of four regions for this pilot project. We have already demonstrated that alternative sustainable models can be found – this decision will have a very significant impact by providing funding for an accelerated programme of broadband roll-out in the rural communities of North Yorkshire.

“The geography and demographic makeup of North Yorkshire represents a typical ‘final third’ area and the project will provide a valuable testing ground that will assist the government in providing broadband access to the whole of the UK.”

Coun Carl Les, executive member for corporate services, said: “This announcement is tremendous news for North Yorkshire. NYnet came into being as a result of an initiative by North Yorkshire County Council to try to ensure that the people and businesses of the county are not left behind in the technological revolutions which lie ahead, and today’s announcement ensures that our vision is on track.”