Online map reveals Cheshire broadband roll-out schedule

Connecting Cheshire has produced a fibre broadband roll-out map for the county, enabling residents and businesses to see where high-speed connectivity will be available by the end of summer 2015.

Publication of the map follows the £28.5m deal between BT and four Cheshire councils to provide fibre broadband to 96% of the area. The councils involved in the deal are Cheshire East, Cheshire West & Chester, Halton and Warrington.

Residents and businesses can check the map by visiting www.connectingcheshire.org.uk/check-availability to find out more.

The map shows the many areas already able to access fibre broadband through the private sector's commercial roll-out, largely in urban areas, and those planned to be connected under the Connecting Cheshire programme, which will extend the network to over 80,000 premises in mainly outlying and rural communities, plus those areas still under evaluation.

The Connecting Cheshire broadband programme will be delivered by Openreach, BT's local network business, building on BT's commercial investment in the county already committed as part of its £2.5bn overall commercial investment in UK fibre broadband.

Additional funding is being sought to extend high-speed services to the remaining 4% of areas not expected to have broadband services by summer 2015.

Connecting Cheshire expects to announce in early December which specific areas will be included in the first stage of its roll-out, with further phased announcements thereafter.

Homes and businesses in at least 20 telephone exchange areas will see upgrades as part of the first phase and be able to contact their internet service provider to order a switch to fibre broadband from the end of March 2014 onwards.

Cllr David Brown, deputy leader of Cheshire East Council, speaking on behalf of the Connecting Cheshire Partnership, said: "Superfast broadband will open the doors to countless business and social benefits, everything from making it easier for businesses to connect with customers to helping children with their homework.

"Deploying fibre broadband is vital to help local businesses to be competitive and ensure they remain here. It can also play an important role in attracting firms to Cheshire, thereby helping to create even more jobs for local people."

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