BT has announced that the first 8 communities to benefit from its £132 Million project (£53.3m of which is coming from Europe) to deploy super-fast "fibre optic" based broadband services across Cornwall (original news) and the Isles of Scilly (UK) will be Leedstown, Chiverton Cross area, St Agnes, Portreath, St Day, Devoran, Stenalees and Par.

Ultimately some 80% to 90% of local businesses and homes in the region should be able to experience internet download speeds of up to 100Mbps ( FTTP + slower 40Mbps FTTC ) by 2014. However the initial eight locations are expected to be able to access the service by the end of March 2011.

The initial towns and villages are to act as a pilot scheme that runs in advance of the main roll-out programme, which in its early phases will focus mainly on South East Cornwall. It is being managed by Cornwall Council’s economic development arm, the Cornwall Development Company (CDC).



The pilot phase should bring BT's super-fast service to approximately 10,000 businesses and homes, while the overall project will create an estimated 4,000 new jobs and protect a further 2,000. Most premises in the pilot areas will be able to access BT's fibre-based broadband immediately (roughly 50% will even get 100Mbps), yet a minority will not be able to do so.

People not able to benefit initially will in future receive faster speeds than today through a mixture of technologies including wireless, Satellite broadband, advanced copper (i.e. ADSL2+ ) and a further extension of the fibre network.