Newly launched West of England Digital Office seeks to remove broadband barriers

A new West of England Digital Office has been launched to attract private investment in better broadband and mobile connectivity within the region.

Hailed as one of the first of its kind in the country, the office is particularly targeting the area’s 16,000 households still lacking access to superfast connectivity.

It has pledged to serve as a “dedicated, single point of entry” for telecoms providers and cut red tape to speed up infrastructure improvements for the West of England.

Freyja Lockwood is digital innovation and transformation programme manager for the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority.

“The opening of our new Digital Office is an important further step to attract tens of millions of pounds of further investment into our region, particularly in more rural areas, helping people to work flexibly and stay connected in our modern world,” she said.

“Better broadband will mean reliable connections for businesses and residents across the region. “By addressing common challenges, we can continue to drive innovation and create optimal conditions for broadband projects to be delivered more quickly.”