Worcestershire UK Confirms First Phase 3 Fibre Broadband Upgrades

The Superfast Worcestershire (England) scheme has announced the next batch of areas that will be upgraded to receive BT’s “high-speed fibre broadband” (FTTC/P) network, which aims to pass 90% of local homes and businesses by mid-2016 and hopefully 95% by 2017.

So far more than 1,400 premises have already been upgraded, with support from 60 kilometres of new fibre optic cabling and the installation of 22 new street cabinets (plus 38 that are in the process of being connected).

The latest aim is to ensure that this total is lifted to 10,000 by the end of 2014, which should put the project well on its way towards achieving the original goal of 55,000 by the completion date. This will be in addition to the 176,000 premises that BT’s separate commercial investment has already upgraded.

The previous (phase 2) roll-out update focused on the October – December 2014 period (here) and thus this one is planning for January 2015 – June 2015. In addition, some in-fill for existing FTTC areas will also take place around Bromsgrove and Droitwich.

Worcestershire Phase 3 Areas
Romsley
Wychbold
Bishampton
Inkberrow
Astwood Bank
Hanbury
Upton Upon Severn

The latest phase of Worcestershire’s local broadband deployment was actually announced earlier this month, although unfortunately we overlooked it due to the update surfacing immediately before the Government’s big 1 million premises announcement for the overall Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) scheme (this flooded the news with copycat stories for each local authority). Still, better late than never.