GBP6m to Help Small Firms Get Superfast Broadband in Merseyside UK

The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), which aims to reduce economic disparities between EU member states by supporting regeneration, has called for broadband projects to help it spend £6m that has been set aside to improve internet access for small businesses in Merseyside (North West England).

The new investment could have a big impact in the metropolitan county, especially after this year’s Budget 2012 Announcement revealed that the city of Liverpool had lost its bid for a slice of the government’s £150m Urban Broadband Fund (UBF); that money could have been used to aid in the rollout of ultra-fast fibre optic broadband access around urban areas.

According to Place North West, some commercial parts of Liverpool still cannot get access to good broadband speeds from either BT or Virgin Media and that’s where the ERDF funding is likely to benefit most. The money itself will only cover 50% of any related project costs, with the rest needing to come from local authorities and private sector investment.

In addition the government’s Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) office has also set aside £5,460,000 to help 90% of local authority areas outside Liverpool gain access to superfast broadband services by 2015. Applications for the ERDF cash need to be submitted before 10th September 2012 and further details can be found below.

North West ERDF Funding
http://www.communities.gov.uk/regeneration/…/northwest/