Guest column: Superfast broadband for everyone

The Government has ensured superfast broadband (speeds of 24Mbps or more) coverage for more than 95 per cent of UK homes and businesses, with more than 27 million homes benefiting since 2009.

And I am delighted to say that Nottinghamshire is in an even better position.

Thanks to the Better Broadband for Nottinghamshire (BBfN) programme, led by the county council in partnership with BT Openreach, 97.5 per cent of homes and businesses in our area has access to superfast broadband.

Not only is this better than the national average, it’s the best in the East Midlands.

In total, BBfN has seen around £30 million invested in the county’s digital infrastructure by the cuncil, Government, BT and other partners - a great example of the public and private sectors working effectively together.

This has provided access to superfast broadband for almost 80,000 homes and businesses in Nottinghamshire.

This is a great achievement, but I know it is of little consolation if you live or work in one of the properties that still does not have superfast broadband access.

Although the properties still to be covered are the most difficult to access, I want to assure you that it remains our commitment to provide superfast broadband access to everyone.

As part of our budget proposals for 2018-19, we are recommending an additional £2.6 million is committed to the continued roll-out of the BBfN programme, bringing investment over the next two years up to around £4 million

To find out if your postcode is covered, or if it is part of the programme going forward, visit http://bit.ly/2HB3fsV