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Council supports roll out for superfast broadband
A plan to support the roll out of superfast ‘Next Generation’ broadband across Central Bedfordshire has been approved by Executive Councillors.
Central Bedfordshire’s Local Broadband Plan (LBP) will be partially funded by Central Government. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Broadband Delivery UK team has already set aside £620,000 to Central Bedfordshire to support the roll out.
Current forecasts for the spread of superfast broadband (defined as being at least 25Mbit/s) in Central Bedfordshire show that without a plan to support it, more than a quarter of residential and business premises will still not have access by 2015. Under the LBP, this figure would be significantly reduced, with around 90% of all premises having access to superfast broadband.
The LBP will also aim to ensure that all premises in Central Bedfordshire have access to standard broadband (at least 2Mbit/s) and increase the choice of broadband services and suppliers of services for local residents.
Cllr Maurice Jones, Executive Member for Corporate Resources, said: “The preparation for the Local Broadband Plan has been informed by what our residents, businesses and public sector partners in Central Bedfordshire have told us.
“Achieving the 90% superfast broadband goal will have a number of huge benefits for all these groups and Central Bedfordshire as a whole and is a key part of the transformation of public services.
“It will mean improved business productivity and efficiency, rural business growth and enterprise and a strengthening of the local economy in general.”
Central Bedfordshire’s LBP will also inform the development of a wider Joint Local Broadband Plan to be developed in partnership with Milton Keynes and Bedford Borough Councils with Central Bedfordshire as the lead partner.
Cllr Jones added: “Through working in partnership on the Joint Local Broadband Plan with our neighbouring authorities we will be able to make significant savings and increase the likelihood of securing private sector interest and additional investment.” The Plan and further information on broadband in the area, including your chance to register your interest in superfast broadband is available at www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/broadband
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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