Cambridgeshire UK Wins GBP1.173m from EU for Business Broadband Boost

The £45 million Connecting Cambridgeshire (England) scheme, which is currently rolling out BT’s superfast broadband (FTTC/P) services to 90% of local premises by the end of 2015, has won an extra £1.173m from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to help get businesses connected.

The new money will compliment the recent award of £3.43 million from the Government’s £150m Urban Broadband Fund (UBF), which will support the use of a new voucher scheme to help businesses in the city of Cambridge cover the installation cost (up to £3,000) of getting a new superfast broadband connection.

Cllr Ian Bates, Cambridgeshire Cabinet Member for Growth and Planning, said:

“I am delighted that Connecting Cambridgeshire has secured this extra funding, which is a testament to the strength of the partnership and its determination to boost Cambridgeshire’s economy by supporting local businesses and creating opportunities for growth.

We know it is vital that our small and medium companies, many of which are in rural areas or home-based, get the support they need to make the most of fast-changing technology so they can compete and thrive.”

It’s believed that businesses in Peterborough will also benefit from the extra cash.