Fibre broadband up and running in Kemp Town (From The Argus)

Fibre broadband up and running in Kemp Town

2:20pm Tuesday 18th December 2012 in News By Tim Ridgway, Local government reporter

Tens of thousands of homes and businesses will benefit from faster internet after the installation of high-speed fibre broadband.

BT has announced the internet connection is now available to 34,000 properties and firms in the Kemp Town area of Brighton.

It means that 99% of the city now has access to the high-speed broadband which businesses leaders claim is essential to boost the city’s digital reputation.

Brighton Kemp Town MP Simon Kirby said: “This is a significant step for Kemp Town.

“High-speed digital connectivity is a defining factor in Brighton’s long-term success.

“At a time when our local economy needs a boost, important developments such as BT’s investment in super-fast broadband offer us the potential to create new opportunities, services and growth.”

Rural areas

By the end of next year, BT said about 270,000 homes and businesses across East Sussex will be able to sign up for the broadband as a result of its £2.5 billion programme.

BT has also said it wants to work with the public sector to extend fibre broadband to the non-commercial parts of Sussex.

Rural areas Both East and West Sussex County Council have pledged to roll out access in rural areas in the coming years.

John Weaver, BT’s regional director, said: “The arrival of fibre in Kemp Town can really help local firms in these economically challenging times, opening up new ways of working and speeding up vital operations, such as file and data transfers, conferencing and computer back-up, all of which may also help cut costs.

“Research suggests that within 15 years fibre broadband could bolster the economy of a typical town by £143 million and create 225 new jobs, 140 new start-up businesses and 1,000 more homeworkers.”

Faster than superfast

It comes weeks after Brighton and Hove City Council was told it would receive millions of pounds towards installing ultrafast broadband.

This provides a minimum download speed of at least 80 megabits per second and is more than three times faster than “superfast” broadband.

Among the areas to benefit could be the city centre, parts of Hove and Portslade south of the Old Shoreham Road, the Kemp Town seafront and the university areas along Lewes Road.

It is understood BT and Fujitsu are the two firms in the running for the contract.

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