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2,000 Black Country businesses and homes able to access high-speed fibre broadband

More than 2,000 businesses and homes across the Black Country are now able to access high-speed fibre broadband for the first time.

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It is the latest milestone of the Black Country Broadband Project, with engineers so far installing more than 20 fibre road-side cabinets, which enable local people to connect to the new network.

The £12.2 million project is a partnership between the Black Country LEP, BT and the Government's Broadband Delivery UK programme, supported by the four local authorities in Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton.

Black Country Chamber of Commerce president, Ninder Johal

Ninder Johal, chairman of the group and LEP Board member, said: "Reaching the 2000 milestone is an important step in delivering our ambition of a minimum 98 per cent high-speed fibre broadband availability by the end of June 2017.

"High-speed fibre broadband will bring a terrific boost to the local economy supporting businesses and individuals to connect to and make the most out of the internet."

High-speed fibre broadband is already available to around 92 per cent of the area, more than 468,000 homes and businesses.

Parts of Walsall, Wednesbury and West Bromwich were among the first areas to benefit from the ambitious roll-out, including the St Matthew's area of Walsall, East Park, south Darlaston, Friar Park, Charlemont with Grove Vale, Hateley Heath, Blackheath, Langley, Rowley, Bristnall, St Paul's, Tividale and parts of Oldbury.

Boat trailer manufacturers SBS in Wolverhampton are also among the first to upgrade to faster fibre broadband, with support from the Wolverhampton and Black Country Broadband Connectivity Voucher Scheme.

Andy Wyer, SBS director, said: "Everything is so much easier and faster since we upgraded to fibre broadband.

"Connection speeds have increased making web interaction much easier and we are able to back up to the cloud on a daily basis which wasn't previously possible."

Work will begin later this year on the second phase of the roll-out, which will extend to areas of Brierley Hill, Dudley, James Bridge, Streetly, Tipton and Willenhall.

Bill Murphy, BT's Managing Director of next generation access, said: "Increasingly the internet is touching our lives in new and exciting ways and transforming virtually everything we do. This is why rolling out faster fibre broadband to more communities is so important.

"Whether people are working from home, applying for jobs, doing online training or running a business, everything is better with high-speed broadband. While at home, fibre broadband enables several people to be online at the same time, so children can do their homework or play games, without interfering with mum and dad doing their online shopping, streaming videos or uploading photos."

For more information visit www.blackcountrylep.co.uk

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