Have your say on superfast broadband plans
5 Jun 2014 04:35 PM
Businesses and the
public are being urged to take part in a survey on fast fibre broadband as the
Welsh Government plans to extend coverage over and above what is already
planned through the extensive Superfast Cymru
programme.
The Welsh Government has a
target of ensuring that by 2016 96 per cent of homes and businesses in Wales
have access to fast fibre broadband. The programme specifically targets
areas not covered by commercial roll-out bringing fast fibre broadband to large
areas which would otherwise not receive it.
A review has now identified
those few areas of Wales which are not currently part of a commercial roll-out
and which are not part of the Superfast Cymru programme. The Welsh
Government is now consulting on the review and at the same time wants to hear
the views of the public and businesses from across Wales on fast fibre
broadband. A similar survey was carried out in 2012 ahead of the launch
of the Superfast Cymru programme.
The Welsh Government wants to
know about what type of broadband residents and businesses currently receive,
what speeds they receive, how this matches against what their Internet Service
Providers promises and what they think is a satisfactory speed to meet their
needs.
Deputy Minister for Skills and
Technology Ken Skates said:
“Superfast Cymru is the
most ambitious programme of its kind in the UK providing faster broadband to a
greater proportion of premises more quickly. Without this programme large
parts of Wales would be without access to fast fibre
broadband.
“Fast fibre broadband is
important for businesses and households and we want to hear from people across
Wales about their current experience and what speeds they are getting. I want
to hear people’s views and I would urge people across Wales to take
part.
“Despite the scale of the
Superfast Cymru programme a small proportion of premises would still not be
covered by it or commercial roll-out as identified by the review we have
carried out. We are now formally consulting on the review before
announcing how we will tackle those areas and provide even more premises with
access to world class broadband.
“The Welsh Government is
committed to seeking to ensure high speed coverage across Wales and despite the
huge and ambitious scale of Superfast Cymru we are looking now at those few
areas which would still not benefit from fast fibre
coverage.”
For information about which
exchange areas are already enabled go to the coverage map on the Superfast Cymru website
You can take part in the survey
or consultation by visiting the consultation section of this
website.
Websites
Superfast Cymru Infill