6200 Extra Staffordshire Premises to Get “Fibre Broadband” Under BT Deal

The Superfast Staffordshire project in the West Midlands of England has signed a new £5.1 million deal with BTOpenreach, which will expand the local coverage of their “fibre broadband” (FTTC/P) network to an additional 6,200 homes and businesses.

At present the Staffordshire County Council already hopes that their joint project with BT, which is supported by the Government’s national Broadband Delivery UK programme, will expand the coverage of “fibre broadband” to 97% of local premises by the end of 2017 (note: this equates to 95% being able to access “superfast” speeds of 24Mbps+).

Significant progress has already been made and in February 2016 we were informed that 90% of premises in the county could now order a superfast broadband (24Mbps+) service (here). Since then the level of 24Mbps+ capable coverage has risen to 93% and overall some 90,000 premises have benefited from the programme (465,000 if you include the separate commercial deployments).

The good news is that another contract has just been signed, which will follow on from the current goal and aims to add an additional 6,200 premises to the total via upgrades or infill around 40 additional communities (initial details below). All of this should push the coverage goal for “superfast broadband” up slightly from 95% in 2017 to 96% by the end of 2018.

Cllr ark Winnington, Staffordshire Economic Growth Leader, said:

“The Superfast Staffordshire programme has made a huge difference to people and businesses across the county in 2016. They are better connected and able to access greater opportunities. As we head into 2017, these expansion plans are great news for some of our most rural communities.

However, we recognise there is still more work to be done to enable the final four per cent of premises to benefit. That’s why we have launched a funding support programme to compliment the BT Community Fibre Partnership scheme. This allows Superfast Staffordshire to co-invest along with communities that are seeking to undertake a co-funded project. We want to hear from communities who are interested in following in the footsteps of Cotwalton – the first to pilot this approach with us.”

Ian Binks, BT’s Regional Manager for the West Midlands, said:

“Around 472,000 households and businesses across the county can now access superfast fibre broadband as a result of Superfast Staffordshire and additional private sector investment by companies like BT.

Whether you’re working from home, doing homework or online shopping, everything is easier and faster with fibre broadband.”

The original contract had a total value of £27 million (£7.44m from the council, £7.44m from BDUK and £12.47m from BT), while the new contract is valued at £5.1 million; this includes £2.4m from BT clawback in the Phase 1 contract (due to high take-up that has now reached 30% in the county), plus £1.6m from unallocated funding combined with cost efficiency savings during contract 1 and an additional £1.4m Capex from BT.

This may be the last direct extension contract for Staffordshire, with BT hinting that future expansion work in the county (i.e. beyond the 96% “superfast” mark) is likely to involve a mix of their co-funded Community Fibre Partnerships (so far 95 communities or 18,000 UK premises have benefited from these) and alternative network technologies / providers. This is one of the reasons why the Government has been improving its support for altnets.

The upgrade work for this next contract will take place during 2017 and the first half of 2018, with the following areas expected to benefit.

Staffordshire Fibre Coverage (Areas for the 6,200 Extra Premises)
Rudyard
Cauldon
Alsagers Bank
Baldwin’s Gate
Heritage Park
Moddershall
Tixall
Brocton
Church Leigh
Lower Leigh
Coton-in-the-Clay
Halfpenny Green
Gospel Ash
Codsall Wood
Prospect Village
Chorley
Springhill
Wall
Wiggington