Suffolk Confirm GBP3.9M Reinvestment Boost for Superfast Broadband

The Better Broadband for Suffolk scheme, which is working with BT to make “superfast broadband” (24Mbps+) services available to 95% of local homes and businesses “before 2018” and hopefully 100% by 2020, has become the latest Broadband Delivery UK project to confirm a clawback (gain share) linked reinvestment boost of £3.9 million.

Last week the Government revealed that take-up of related connections in BDUK project areas had been stronger than expected and they’ve thus activated the clawback mechanism ahead of schedule (here), which will return a total of up to £129m from BT.

Clawback essentially means that take-up beyond 20% will trigger a return of some of the original investment and that can then be used to further extend the future network coverage. Norfolk was the first Local Authority to confirm a specific figure (here) and now Thinkbroadband spots that Suffolk has just done the same.

At the end of March 2015 Suffolk had a take-up of 17.1% (here) and so by now they will have passed the target.

Steve Edwards, BT Group director for NGA, said:

“The fibre broadband roll-out is a real success story, and we’re delighted to be able to share that success with Suffolk by making £3.9 million available to help connect some of the hardest to reach homes and businesses. The open network which we’re rolling out brings real choice to communities and this is helping to drive take-up which is key to the programme’s future.”

Colin Noble, Leader of Suffolk County Council, said:

“This cash injection into the roll out programme is great news as we pass the 20% take up for high speed broadband in Suffolk. This money will help us to maintain our current momentum in getting communities across Suffolk switched on.

We are on course to hit our target of reaching 100,000 properties by the end of this year and entering our second agreed contract with BT to deliver even more coverage in 2016 and beyond. We are committed to reaching 100% of properties by 2020. Specific plans for the use of this additional money will become clearer in the next few months.”

At present the Suffolk project has already benefitted some 92,359 premises and as above they should have no trouble achieving the 100K target by the end of 2015. It’s worth noting that the original / first £40m+ project aimed to make BT’s raw “fibre broadband” (FTTC/P) network available to 90% of the county by the end of 2015, although only 85% will actually get speeds of 24Mbps+.