Broadband partnership bringing in the new year for 3,500 more Oxfordshire homes and businesses

Better Broadband for Oxfordshire passes 25,000 premises 

Superfast broadband is now available to a further 3,500 homes and businesses thanks to the multi-million pound ‘Better Broadband for Oxfordshire’ programme, partners Oxfordshire County Council and BT announced today.

The high speed fibre broadband technology is now available to more than 25,000 properties across the county as a result of the programme. The latest increase of 3,500 includes more than 800 properties in the villages of Combe and Stonesfield, 750 in Hailey, Milton-under-Wychwood and Ascott-under-Wychwood in West Oxfordshire, and 1,000 in Vale of White Horse communities of Sutton Courtney, West Hanney and East Hanney.

Four fibre broadband cabinets in the towns of Wallingford and Henley-on-Thames and in the city of Oxford are now also ‘live’, meaning residents and businesses can request an upgraded service from their chosen internet service provider (ISP).

The new network is available on an open, wholesale basis to all broadband service providers, thereby ensuring competitive products and pricing for local businesses and households. There are currently more than 140 fibre broadband providers operating in the UK.

Councillor Nick Carter, Cabinet Member for Business & Customer Services at Oxfordshire County Council, said: I am delighted that, through this partnership, we are able to connect many thousands of homes that previously wouldn’t have had access to high-speed, fibre networks. Superfast broadband will help local businesses thrive, and ensure residents in rural communities get the benefits of online information, entertainment and communication.”

Steve Henderson, BT’s regional broadband partnership director, said: “The rollout of fibre broadband across Oxfordshire is gathering pace as we reach more communities, bringing the benefits of high speed broadband to more and more families and businesses.

“People are increasingly relying on the internet for shopping, playing games online and keeping in touch with friends and family especially over Christmas. At the same time, faster fibre broadband enables small businesses to stay in contact with their customers and suppliers more easily and quickly.”

Better Broadband for Oxfordshire will make superfast fibre broadband available to 64,500 homes and businesses across the county by the end of 2015. It aims to ensure at least 90 per cent of the county’s premises have access to broadband speeds of at least 24Mbps, by building on the commercial fibre roll-out of BT and other companies. BT’s local network business, Openreach, has already provided access to around 200,000 premises across the county.
People wanting to check if they can access fibre broadband can do this online at http://www.betterbroadbandoxfordshire.org.uk/postcode-map

ENDS

Notes to editors:

About Better Broadband for Oxfordshire:
Better Broadband for Oxfordshire is a partnership between Oxfordshire County Council, BT and BDUK. The £25 million programme is made up of £10m from Oxfordshire County Council, £4m from the Government (Broadband Delivery UK) and £11m from BT. It builds on the existing commercial footprint in the county with the aim that at least 90 per cent of all premises will have access to superfast broadband speeds of 24 Mbps and above by the end of 2015.
The Better Broadband for Oxfordshire programme will make superfast broadband available to 64,500 homes and businesses across the county by the end of 2015.

For further details to go www.betterbroadbandoxfordshire.org.uk

About Superfast Britain
Superfast Britain is a Government programme of investment in broadband and communication infrastructure across the UK. Run by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, this investment helps businesses to grow, creates jobs and will make Britain more competitive in the global race. The portfolio is comprised of three elements:
1. £790m to extend superfast broadband to 95% of the UK by 2017;
2. £150m to provide high speed broadband to businesses in 22 cities; and
3. £150m to improve quality and coverage of mobile phone and basic data network services.
Administered on behalf of Government by Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK), Superfast Britain is transforming Britain by promoting growth, enabling skills and learning, and improving quality of life.

For further information: https://www.gov.uk/broadband-delivery-uk