30.06.04
BT close to completing broadband map of Britain

Every Cornwall exchange to offer broadband by July 2005

BT today revealed the timetable to bring broadband to every community in Cornwall. Forty three further exchanges in Cornwall are to be broadband enabled in the latest stage of an ongoing investment by BT that has already seen more than one billion pounds spent on its UK broadband network.

More than 74 per cent of homes and businesses in Cornwall are already connected to a broadband-enabled exchange. The latest stage of BT's roll out programme will take that figure to 100 per cent.

The 43 exchanges to be upgraded supply more than 38,000 households between them. BT will start to enable the exchanges from August 2004.

Lizzie Beesley, BT regional director, said: "Today's news provides clarity for communities across Cornwall. People have been keen to know when they will have access to broadband and this news from BT will allow them to plan ahead with confidence. Now that we will have virtually universal broadband availability in Cornwall, the focus must inevitably turn to driving take up - to ensure that many more businesses exploit broadband's speed and cost-effectiveness. This is vital if they are to remain competitive in the national and global marketplace. It is our job, along with the partners we are working with, to get these messages across and to ensure that businesses and consumers alike are able to take advantage and benefit from the broadband revolution.”

Nigel Ashcroft, project director of actnow, the public and private sector broadband partnership, said: "BT's announcement is good news as it means that there will be virtually 100 per cent broadband coverage in Cornwall by July next year. Now that the dates are set, we can focus on the important issue of encouraging Cornish businesses and consumers to take advantage of the benefits of broadband across all technologies. Our research has shown, unequivocally, that companies using broadband have the competitive advantage - and we will be ensuring that this message gets out as quickly and loudly as possible so that Cornwall continues to build on its track record of innovation, maintaining its position at the forefront of the broadband revolution. We will also be working on alternative technologies to get broadband into the most rural areas.”

Making broadband technology available is vital but encouraging businesses and consumers to take full advantage is also a key part of the Broadband Britain equation. BT will continue to seek to work in partnership to increase broadband take-up. The full timetable can be accessed at www.bt.com/broadband.

Editor's notes:

For further information contact the BT Regional Press Office on 0845 7262624.

The 43 Cornwall exchanges (listed below with upgrade dates) are among 1,000 further BT exchanges across the UK that will be equipped with broadband before the end of July 2005. This roll out programme will take the percentage of UK homes and businesses connected to a BT broadband exchange from 90 per cent at present to 99.6 per cent.

Even where a BT exchange has been upgraded, some customers are unable to receive broadband because they live too far away – typically about six kilometres from the exchange. BT is carrying out trials to extend the "reach" of broadband to up to 10 km, bringing the power of broadband to even more homes and businesses.

BT today announced that the initial results from those trials were looking very promising. BT is confident it will find a way over the summer to extend the reach of broadband ADSL services to over a million more homes and businesses throughout the UK.

BT Group plc is the listed holding company for an integrated group of businesses providing voice and data services in the UK and overseas, particularly in Europe, but also in the Americas and the Asia Pacific region. British Telecommunications plc, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc, holds virtually all businesses and assets of the BT group.

BT is one of Europe's leading providers of telecommunications services. Its principal activities include local, national and international telecommunications services, higher-value broadband and internet products and services, and IT solutions. In the UK, BT serves over 20 million business and residential customers with more than 29 million exchange lines, as well as providing network services to other licensed operators.

BT consists principally of three lines of business:

There are a number of other businesses within the BT group, including BT Exact, an internationally renowned centre of excellence in IT and networking technologies. It is also BT's technology and research and development business.

In the year ended 31 March 2004, BT's turnover was £18,519 million with profit before goodwill amortisation, exceptional items and taxation of £2,016million.
For more information, visit www.bt.com

The 43 exchanges and dates when they will be upgraded are:

Sue Wolstenholme
Objective One Communications
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mob: 07973 813647
Tel: 01579 370991

lmroberts@cornwall.gov.uk

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