Eight villages in Cornwall will take part in a multi-million pound project to deliver super-fast Internet access to the hard-to-reach communities.
According to the Press Association, the eight villages – Chiverton Cross, Leedstown, St Agnes, Portreath, St Day, Devoran, Stenalees and Par – should have broadband speeds of up to 100Mbps by March 2011. In total, around 10,000 homes and business will have access to super-fast broadband.
The project will cost just over £130m and is expected to create around 4,000 jobs and protect a further 2,000 in the region.
BT will stump up £78.5m towards the project, according to the Associated Press, while the European Regional Development Fund Convergence programme will contribute £53.5m. It will be managed by Cornwall Council’s economic development arm, Cornwall Development Company.
"This is an incredibly innovative and pioneering project never before done on this scale," said Nigel Ashcroft, director of next generation broadband for Cornwall Development Company.
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"It is excellent news that the first Cornish businesses and homes will have access to super-fast broadband at such an early stage," added BT South West regional director Jon Reynolds.
This is a pilot scheme that will offer early roll-out as part of a wider project to provide Cornwall and Isles of Scilly with high-speed access to the Internet.
Portreath Harbour, Cornwall image courtesy of Skinnyde, Flickr, CC licence.
