£17m Investment For Superfast Broadband

A £17m investment to help improve broadband infrastructure throughout Northern Ireland has been unveiled.

The Superfast Rollout Programme will be delivered by BT and is specifically aimed at improving coverage of superfast broadband in the region.

Welcoming the funding, Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister Arlene Foster, said: "The Superfast Rollout Programme is another significant step in making superfast broadband services more widely available. It represents a joint investment of £17million by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, the Department of Culture Media and Sport, as part of its Superfast Britain investment, and BT.

"It is envisaged the Project will begin with an extensive survey and design process which will take place over a number of months. BT will then begin re-engineering the network changing it into a fibre rich, open access network enabling more people to enjoy and utilise the benefits of superfast broadband."

Colm O'Neill, Chief Executive, BT Northern Ireland, added: "The Superfast Rollout Programme marks another successful step in Northern Ireland's broadband journey, helping to strengthen its position as one of the best regions in Europe for fibre speeds and availability.

"For BT, this latest investment signifies our on-going commitment to support Northern Ireland's continued economic growth by future-proofing our infrastructure for the next generation.

"We're looking forward now to getting out into communities and enabling even more homes and businesses to enjoy the transformational benefits of superfast broadband."

(JP/CD)