A countywide scheme to boost broadband speeds – which has received millions of pounds of investment from the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership – has reached a major milestone.
The Better Broadband for Nottinghamshire (BBfN) programme’s 350th roadside fibre broadband cabinet has gone ‘live’; in the village of Walkeringham, north-east of Worksop, close to the Lincolnshire border.
BBfN is rolling out faster, fibre optic broadband across Nottinghamshire. It has so far supplied more than 60,000 homes and businesses across the county, with internet speeds of up to 80 Megabits per second (Mbps). At 50Mbps, a music album will take roughly 16 seconds to download, compared to more than three minutes on a 4Mbps connection.
The D2N2 LEP – which promotes economic growth and jobs creation across its area of Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire – announced in August (2015) that it would be investing £4.8m in improving broadband speeds in its area; £2.63m for BBfN and £2.19m for Derbyshire’s equivalent scheme, Digital Derbyshire.
Funding for BBfN is being provided by a wide-range of organisations; including Nottinghamshire County Council, BT, Broadband Delivery UK (the Government’s broadband delivery arm), the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, the European Regional Development Fund, and District and Borough Councils in Nottinghamshire.
David Ralph, Chief Executive of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “Widening access to faster, fibre optic-based broadband is a core priority for D2N2.
“Better Broadband for Nottinghamshire and Digital Derbyshire represent an opportunity to boost economic growth and create jobs; for all businesses but we see the programmes as of particular benefit to the creative and digital industries, which we have identified as a key economic sector in our area.”
Councillor Diana Meale, Chair of Economic Development at Nottinghamshire County Council, added: “We’re proud of the progress we’ve made on the Better Broadband for Nottinghamshire programme and the 350th fibre cabinet presents another significant milestone for the project.
“For many people receiving smartphones, televisions, tablet computers or laptops for Christmas this year, our broadband roll-out will mean that they will be able to get the best out of their new gadgets.”
For more information about BBfN see the web link by clicking HERE.
Further information about D2N2’s work to grow its area’s economy can be found on its website at www.d2n2lep.org/Growth
Media wanting more information about the Local Enterprise Partnership can contact D2N2 Communications Manager Sean Kirby on 01159 578749 or email: sean.kirby@d2n2lep.org
