Superfast Cornwall Fibre Rollout Attracts 6,000 Businesses

Almost 6,000 local business have signed up for superfast broadband services in Cornwall as a result of the £132 million Superfast Cornwall programme, a partnership between BT, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cornwall Council which aims to bring fibre to 95 percent of the county by the end of 2015.

According to a survey of 220 business that have been using fibre for more than 12 months, it is estimated that the adoption of superfast broadband in the county has saved 807 jobs and created an additional 611 positions – and programme leaders believe that figure could actually be higher.

More than half of fibre-connected business say faster broadband had allowed them to expand while 79 percent say it has saved them time and money. Just over half claim fibre has allowed them to work in new ways and 49 percent say they can now work more efficiently and flexibly.

Superfast Cornwall

“The latest research shows very clearly the great benefits that superfast broadband is bringing to Cornwall, particularly when you bear in mind this has been achieved during the difficult economic conditions of recent times,” says Nigel Ashcroft, Superfast Cornwall programme director for the Cornwall Development Company.

“In fact, we believe that the number of jobs created or safeguarded could be much higher than even this survey indicates because the estimate is based on the number of businesses which have been using fibre broadband for at least 12 months, whereas more than twice this number of firms are now using the service.”

Superfast Cornwall was first announced in 2010 and the first connections were made in 2011. The original target for the project was 80 percent coverage but this was later revised to 95 percent. Eighty-two percent coverage was achieved last year, and businesses who previously had to rely on 500Kbps connections have hailed it as important an infrastructure development as the planned High Speed 2 railway.

“This exciting technology is essential to modern business life whether you are a high-tech startup or an established family firm in an industry, such as tourism or manufacturing – and it will become even more essential in the increasingly ‘connected world’ of the future,” says Ed Vaizey, who recently visited Cornwall to see the progress of the project.

“It is heartening to see the way Cornish firms are embracing the new technology, finding ways to make it work effectively for them and creating jobs. They are sending the message loud and clear that Cornwall is very much open for new business.”

A number of other local authorities have partnered with BT as part of the Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) initiative, which provides government funding for the roll-out of fibre in areas not considered viable for commercial deployments of the technology. Recent government figures suggest that 508,000 homes and businesses have been connected as a direct result of BDUK.

What do you know about fibre broadband? Take our quiz!