Cardiff secures £11.9 million broadband investment
The economy of Cardiff is set to get a boost with the announcement today of a £11.9 million investment in the city’s broadband.
The economy of Cardiff is set to get a boost with the announcement today of a £11.9 million investment in the city’s broadband.
Wales Office Minister, Stephen Crabb has today welcomed the news that Cardiff will benefit from a £11.9 million investment in its broadband infrastructure.
The investment, announced today (20 September) by Culture Secretary Maria Miller, will help transform Cardiff into a ‘ super-connected city’. By offering high-tech and digital companies the infrastructure they need, the city will be able to compete for business, investment and jobs with the world’s top digital cities.
Cardiff joins the other three UK capital cities, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds & Bradford, Newcastle and Manchester in sharing a £114 million super-connected city fund. It will help provide businesses with ultrafast broadband (least 80-100Mbps) and high speed wireless Internet access.
The government is transforming the UK’s digital infrastructure as a key driver of jobs and economic growth. It is investing a total of £830 million in delivering the best broadband in Europe and extending mobile coverage.
Today ’s allocations follow an announcement by the Culture Secretary last week of plans to rip up the planning red tape that is delaying the roll-out of superfast broadband around the country.
Cardiff ’s plans include taking ultrafast broadband access to around an extra 29,000 residential and 2,100 business premises as well as high speed wireless to even more. The plans are due to be delivered by 2015.
Welcoming the announcement, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Wales, Stephen Crabb said:
Providing the right conditions and infrastructure for businesses to grow is a key priority for this government. Broadband is essential not only for everyday life, but also for the future economic success of Wales and the UK as a whole and we continue to work in collaboration with the Welsh government in our joint efforts to deliver it.
The funding Cardiff will receive for its super-connected city status will provide its businesses with the platform to expand, develop new markets and compete with others around the world. It will also allow its communities to access more services more quickly and efficiently online.