Buckinghamshire: BT awarded deal to deliver Superfast broadband

BT is to head up a £18.06 million project to supply fibre broadband to more than 90% of businesses and homes across Buckinghamshire by the end of March 2016. 

BT was awarded the deal through the Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) framework, which will see the firm provide its support for Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire’s Connected Counties programme.

The aim of the scheme is to make fibre broadband services with speeds of up to 80Mbps available to 38,500 homes and businesses in Buckinghamshire within the next three years.

The project is also aimed at ensuring all residents in both counties have access to minimum broadband speeds of 2Mbps.

BT has agreed to invest £8.6m in financing for the project, while Hertfordshire County Council and Buckinghamshire County Council have agreed to contribute £1.61m and £3.7m, respectively.

A further £4.15m in funding will be supplied by BDUK.

Bill Murphy, managing director of BT’s Next Generation Access division, said the project should provide significant benefits for both counties.

“We’re already seeing the positive impact that faster, fibre broadband is having and now, thanks to this partnership, this investment will further boost the position of the two counties as being among the leading creators of new businesses,” he said.

Robert Gordon, leader of Hertfordshire County Council, said the project would provide the area with an economic boost. "Faster broadband will boost our economy as it makes local businesses much more competitive and it is great for families who need to access multiple devices at the same time."

Martin Tett, Buckinghamshire County Council leader, added: “Superfast broadband has the potential to transform our economy and our lives as dramatically as the railways did for the Victorians.”