Gildernew discusses advances in Broadband in rural areas

Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Michelle Gildernew has met with representatives of BT to discuss the Next Generation Broadband project and its likely impact on rural areas.

The £48million project will see a significant improvement in telecommunications infrastructure with the introduction of new technology to increase broadband speeds across the north of Ireland. This includes deployment of fibre-optic technology to a number of exchanges in sparsely populated rural areas or areas where current technology is unable to supply customers from the exchange.

Speaking after the meeting with Chris Clarke, Northern Ireland BT Chief Executive, and Peter Russell, BT Head of Public Sector, Minister Gildernew said: “In modern society, where more and more government services, businesses, and all kinds of information move on-line, broadband is an increasingly vital tool for households and businesses. It is also an increasingly important means of accessing services and promoting social inclusion in isolated rural areas.

“I recognise the frustration felt in some areas where people are unable to obtain a satisfactory broadband service. Accessibility, reliability and speed of broadband connections are issues of concern for stakeholders, and for people living and working in many rural areas throughout the north.

“The Next Generation Broadband project will address these issues in some areas by bringing higher speed broadband to them by 2011. I welcome that my Department has been able to support the initiative and I look forward to hearing of the many benefits that it will bring.

“At the same time, in bringing forward the Rural White Paper, I remain committed to doing what I can to address inequality of broadband speeds and availability in other areas and will continue to work with others to find viable solutions.”

Notes to editors:

1. The Next Generation Broadband project was launched in December 2009. BT is investing close to £30million in the project, with a further £18million coming from the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment (DETI), under the European Regional Development Fund's (ERDF) European Sustainable Competitiveness Programme and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), through the EU Economic Recovery Plan and added to the Rural Development Programme budget for supporting broadband infrastructure in rural areas.
2. The project is expected to be complete by May 2011, by which time 85% of businesses across Northern Ireland will see the benefits of the investment.
3. The contract will deliver a minimum of 2 Mbps to those businesses located in rural areas. However many businesses will experience higher speeds than this especially those located closer to access points.
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