Government Boasts Of 200,000 BDUK Premises As Rollout Accelerates

The government says 200,000 premises not covered by the commercial rollout of fibre in the UK now have access to superfast broadband thanks to the Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) initiative, which provides funding to local authorities.

Today has been dubbed ‘Super Switch-on Day’, with 5,000 homes and businesses added to the BT Openreach network through BDUK projects, with the number of new properties added each week set to increase from 10,000 to 25,000 in spring next year and 40,000 by summer 2014.

BDUK progress

“We’re determined to ensure that everyone benefits and that broadband is available in the very hardest-to-reach areas of Britain, making a real difference to people who live in these communities,” says Maria Miller, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. “Today’s “switch on” of cabinets across the country takes us yet another step closer to fulfilling our promise of giving superfast speeds to 95 percent of Britain by 2017.”

Towns and villages in Wiltshire & South Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Kent & Medway, Cheshire, the Cotswolds and Shropshire are among those to receive an early Christmas present today, while projects in a number of other counties have also reached significant milestones.

Durham’s first cabinet went live yesterday, while several have been switched on in Burnley and the Devon and Somerset BDUK project has delivered superfast broadband to hundreds of properties in Cotford St Luke. The Cumbria and Suffolk projects have now reached 10,000 premises and Norfolk has passed 17,000.

Government targets

The government says the arrival of superfast broadband to these communities will bring economic benefits and new services, but BDUK has not been without its controversy. BT has so far won all the money available from BDUK, leading to criticisms that it is effectively handing the former state-owned telecom a government subsidy. MPs have accused the company of blackmail, while others suggest BT has been overcharging for its services.

Outgoing Openreach CEO Liv Garfield said last month it was “massively frustrating” to continue to have to defend the firm’s involvement with BDUK, claiming the government-funded initiative is beginning to bear fruit for those on slow broadband connections.

The government’s eventual target for superfast broadband coverage is 98 percent of the population by 2018, with alternative.

Think you know everything about BT? Try our quiz!