Berkshire: £20m investment in superfast broadband takes region's coverage to over 95%

Superfast Berkshire has signed contracts with Gigaclear plc and Call Flow Solutions to expand superfast broadband in the harder-to-reach parts of Thames Valley Berkshire, as the second phase of the Superfast Berkshire project gets under way.

Gigaclear will deploy ultrafast Fibre-to-the-Premise (FTTP) technology to more than 11,700 premises across West Berkshire, while Call Flow Solutions will provide a Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC) solution to Windsor & Maidenhead.

Nick Carter, chairman of the Superfast Berkshire project board and director of Thames Valley Berkshire LEP, said: “The next phase of our superfast broadband programme will see another 13,450 homes and businesses given the opportunity to switch over to faster Internet speeds. A total of approximately 23,888 homes are expected to have been upgraded by the end of September (at the end of Phase 1 delivery) – in some of the most rural parts of Berkshire.”

The combination of funding from Broadband Delivery UK, West Berkshire District Council, The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead, Thames Valley Berkshire LEP and contributions from Gigaclear and Call Flow Solutions will provide a total investment fund of over £20 million. This will extend the superfast coverage across Thames Valley Berkshire to over 95% with further enhancements planned that will take it to over 97% later in the programme.

Digital economy minister Ed Vaizey said: "These contracts with Gigaclear and Call Flow Solutions are a fantastic result for the extra 13,450 Berkshire homes and businesses that will now get superfast broadband as a result of our rollout. Our nationwide rollout is now reaching 40,000 more premises every week and by 2017, 95% of the UK will have access to superfast speeds, providing a tremendous boost to local economies across the UK."