The Government has announced that its Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) scheme now offers superfast broadband to over two million homes and businesses.
The collaboration with BT Openreach, BT’s local network business, helps to deliver broadband access with internet speeds greater than 24 Mbps to properties not covered by existing commercial networks. Those covered can order an upgrade to a superfast service.
By 2017, the project aims to bring superfast access to 95 percent of the UK. The Government now also plans to focus on the final five percent of the country not covered, with the announcement of new pilot schemes.
Sajid Javid, UK culture secretary, who has made tackling mobile and broadband "not-spots" something of a personal mission, commented, "Today there are two million more UK homes and businesses with access to superfast broadband than there were two years ago as a result of this ambitious project."
"This is a tremendous result that is already making a huge difference to millions of people," added the Conservative minister. "We want everyone in the UK to be able to enjoy the benefits of superfast broadband, that’s why we’ve begun work on reaching the last five per cent of communities not covered by existing plans."
Joe Garner, CEO of BT Openreach, said: "We’re proud to be delivering this great British success story in partnership with the Government, and have committed up to £1billion of our shareholders’ money to the projects. The programme is on schedule overall and our people continue to work flat-out on connecting homes and business in the UK’s hard-to-reach areas. If we come in under budget, savings can be reinvested to take coverage even further. Funds will also be released if take-up exceeds expectations, all of which is further great value for the taxpayer."
BDUK has proven controversial, as BT has so far won all funding available in the project. Margaret Hodge, chair of the Public Accounts Committee, has publicly criticised the scheme for providing BT with an essential monopoly.
