Superfast broadband now available for 50k Lincolnshire homes

Over 50,000 homes in the county can now enjoy better broadband thanks to a multi-million pound partnership between Lincolnshire councils and BT.

As well as expanding the high speed network in Lincoln city centre, the Onlincolnshire project has recently benefitted Market Rasen, Conningsby, Metheringham, Kirton and Chapel St. Leonards, Mablethorpe, Alford, Wragby, Baumber, Horsington, Bardney, and Ruskington.

The latest round of improvements were made possible due to funding from the government and European Regional Development Fund.

Building upon the existing commercial roll-out by the private sector in the county, the project remains on target to provide at least 89% of all properties with access to superfast fibre broadband by April 2016.

Additionally, for the first time ever, standard broadband of at least 2Mbps should be available everywhere in Lincolnshire.

The county council is also planning a second phase of improvements that aims to extend superfast coverage to 95% by the end of 2017.

Councillor Richard Davies, Executive Member for IT, said: “I’m delighted we’ve been able to hit this milestone moment – right on schedule.

“We’re now bringing faster broadband to over 1,000 Lincolnshire properties a week, which is a fantastic achievement.

“To get better speeds, people in these upgraded areas should now contact their broadband provider to check for availability and upgrade their contract.

“Better broadband brings a wealth of opportunities to both businesses and residents alike, and we’re determined that Lincolnshire won’t miss out.”

The news was also welcomed by Digital Economy Minister Ed Vaizey, during a visit to the county on October 8.

He said: “I’m incredibly pleased to hear that our rollout of superfast broadband in Lincolnshire is proceeding at pace and more than 50,000 homes and businesses are able to access a much faster and reliable service as a result.

“We are witnessing a transformation of the digital landscape of Lincolnshire, and the work being done will deliver a substantial boost to the local economy.”

Bill Murphy, managing director of next generation access for BT, added: “Fibre broadband will bring the digital world right to the doorsteps of homes and businesses across the county.

“Faster broadband breaks down the barriers to doing business in the digital world with applications like online trading, which helps to empower those small businesses to find new markets, sell new products, try new models and compete on an equal footing with larger businesses.”