Broadband at the double for villagers (From Knutsford Guardian)

Broadband at the double for villagers

5:39pm Tuesday 23rd October 2012 in News By James Wilson

MOBBERLEY residents will be able to have faster broadband after BT announced it had installed new technology in the village.

The telecommunications firm announced on Tuesday that faster broadband is now available to residents after the cables were upgraded as part of BT’s next generation broadband service delivered over copper lines.

The BT investment will make available download speeds of up to 20 megabits per second (Mbps) – more than double the fastest speed previously available from BT.

The faster broadband is already available to more than 90 per cent of north west premises, of which around 400,000 are in Cheshire.

By next spring more than 93 per cent of homes and businesses in the region will be served by an exchange which has been upgraded to deliver these higher speeds.

The new service is available on an open, wholesale basis to all companies providing broadband.

Julian Cobley, programme director for the Connecting Cheshire Partnership, said: “Connecting Cheshire welcomes the news that BT is maximising the existing copper network to increase broadband speeds across Cheshire.

“Such investment, and the ongoing roll-out of fibre optic broadband, will play a key role in securing our economic growth and future development.

“More than ever, high-speed communications are crucial in the fast-moving and changing world we work and live in, and we are looking forward to the benefits faster broadband will bring to Cheshire.”

Mike Blackburn, BT’s north west regional director, said: “Faster broadband will deliver important benefits for people across the region, whether they are running a business, working or studying from home, doing the weekly shop online, downloading films and TV programmes or keeping in touch with friends and family around the world.

“It can all be done better using faster broadband.

“That’s why BT is determined to bring faster speeds to as many homes and businesses as possible, and we are keen to work with the public sector to find solutions for even the most challenging locations.”