Get Digital Faster, for business and the home

Bury residents and businesses are urged to take advantage of new moves to give them access to super-fast broadband speeds.

The scheme was publicised on The Rock by representatives from Get Digital Faster, a multi-million pound partnership funded by the European Regional Development Fund, BT, Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK), and Greater Manchester councils including Bury.

Greater Manchester’s ambition is to Get Digital and become one of the world’s top 20 digital cities by 2020 by building a pioneering multi-million pound fibre network that will significantly improve Greater Manchester’s broadband speeds and improve accessibility.

Since the campaign began 12 months ago, more than 4,700 Bury businesses and homes can now benefit from high speed fibre broadband with 47 green street cabinets already going live across Bury.

As part of the Get Digital Faster campaign, businesses may also be able to benefit from the Government’s broadband connection voucher scheme which provides grants of up to £3,000 to small and medium sized businesses covering the costs of upgrading to faster broadband.

Angela Hornby from Get Digital Faster said: “Many people think they will automatically get access to faster broadband, but this is not the case. Our aim is to promote the availability and benefits of superfast broadband to businesses and homes. We are delighted that The Rock allowed us to come along to enable us to do this.

“Faster broadband brings a variety of benefits to businesses and residents. Households can download films quicker, do their online shopping and go online simultaneously - all without the connection slowing down or crashing. Businesses are able to work faster and more efficiently which in turn boosts economic growth.”

Kay Richmond from The Rock said: “It was a pleasure to meet the Get Digital Faster team and allow them access to businesses and shoppers on The Rock. We are always happy to support schemes which can benefit local residents and businesses.”

To find out more, and see if you can get connected, visit www.get-digital-faster.info. Further information about the Government’s broadband connection voucher scheme can be found via the Connection Voucher website: www.connectionvouchers.co.uk

ENDS

Press release issued: 22 September 2015.

Picture: At the launch are (from left) Judith Brown, from Get Digital Faster; Kay Richmond, deputy centre director of The Rock; and Angela Hornby, Get Digital Faster.