Next Areas for FTTC Broadband Rollout in Warwickshire Confirmed

The state aid supported CSW Broadband project, which is working with BT to extend their “superfast broadband” (24Mbps+) FTTC/P network to “nearly” 94% of Warwickshire, Solihull and Coventry (England) by 2017, has announced the next batch of areas to benefit from an upgrade.

The latest expansion forms part of the on-going £10m contract 2 (Superfast Extension Programme), which should bring the service to another 14,600 premises or 17,000+ when you include sub-24Mbps “fibre broadband” coverage. This is in addition to the 45,000 extra premises (250 new street cabinets) that have already benefited from the scheme.

Apparently the next phase will bring the service to parts of Blackwell, Deppers Bridge, Harborough Magna, Model Village, Monks Kirby, Shawbury, Shustoke, Sutton-under-Brailes and Water Orton. On top of that existing FTTC coverage (in-fill) will be expanded to reach more homes and businesses in Bidford-upon-Avon, Ettington, Marlcliff and Nether Whitacre.

Tonino Ciuffini, Head of Dervice for Warwickshire County Council, said:

“This is really good news. As the CSW Broadband roll-out progresses, we are reaching deeper into the rural areas and these are just the latest communities to benefit from access to the fibre network. Many people take high-speed internet for granted these days, and forget that there are many communities where this is simply not possible. That is why the investment by Warwickshire County Council is so important for the social and economic wellbeing of our rural communities.”

Apparently local take-up in areas that have already been upgraded through the CSW project has now hit 30% and there’s a detailed roll-out plan to be found on the scheme’s website (here), which provides a lot more information about individual street cabinets.