Alec Robertson opening the press conference

Alec Robertson (Cornwall Council leader)

Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are going to become one of the best connected parts of the world under a massive plan to roll out super-fast internet. BT and Cornwall Council are working together using European funding to give 90% of Cornish businesses access to a fibre-optic connection.

BT chief executive Ian Livingston explained how it was going to happen at the Headland Hotel in Newquay on 30th September 2010:

[audio:http://www.kernowpods.com/audio/ianlivingston.mp3]

So BT assures Cornwall that the roll-out will get underway immediately with the first connections being made this coming Spring. It is something that cannot happen too soon. Richard Glover is chief executive of Cornwall Chamber of Commerce. He was one of the speakers at the launch.

[audio:http://www.kernowpods.com/audio/richardglover.mp3]

Nigel Glover and Elizabeth Holt

Elizabeth Holt spoke on behalf of the European Commission to explain why Cornwall has been favoured with the massive funding.

[audio:http://www.kernowpods.com/audio/elizabethholt.MP3]

The project has been driven forward  by Cornwall Council in collaboration with BT. Alec Robertson is the council’s leader. He believes the super-fast link will transform Cornish business:

[audio:http://www.kernowpods.com/audio/alecrobertson.mp3]

New Generation Access (NGA) director Nigel Ashcroft has been behind Cornwall’s access to broadband from the start of the Objective One Act Now project. I caught up with him after the launch speeches:

[audio:http://www.kernowpods.com/audio/nigelashcroft.mp3]

Journalists from across the globe were flown from London to Newquay for the launch. Many expressed amazement at the progress Cornwall is making – and how it has managed to secure large funding for the scheme on top of Convergence and Objective One. Carleen Keleman is in charge of the Convergence programme. She spoke to me about why Cornwall has been made a priority:

[audio:http://www.kernowpods.com/audio/carleen.mp3]

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Matthew
30/09/2010
TAG:
100Mbpsalec robertsonbroadbandBTbusinesscarleen kelemanchamber of commerceConvergenceCornishCornwallCornwall CouncilElizabeth HoltEuropeanfibrefundingkernownew generation broadbandnganigel ashcroftopticsuperfast

Responses

  • cyberdoyle's words to say30 Sep 2010

    Its a real easy job to do fibre to the cabinet. All the exchanges already have fibre in. BT do not need public money to do this. Public money should only be used in notspots. Of which there are plenty in Cornwall. I do hope someone is going to keep an eye on all this. And make sure that BET isn’t used, as it is last generation technology and is a complete waste of money. This is a scandal waiting to happen. If it isn’t fibre to the home then it is a stop gap solution. Fibre to the cabinet is acceptable in the short term, but bonding copper pairs for BET is NOT. Don’t get conned people. If it isn’t fibre then it isn’t Next Generation Access and as such should not have public money. (unless the profits go back to the public purse to fund further rollout and not BT’s £90 billion pension deficit).
    chris