BT in £132m push for rural broadband

A blueprint for expanding super-fast broadband networks from urban to rural areas in the UK was unveiled on Sept 30 in Cornwall.

BT is working with local authorities on a £132m project that will create a high-speed broadband network covering most of the county's homes and businesses. Ministers are keen that super-fast Internet access should not be confined to urban areas, where BT and Virgin Media are focusing their spending on new high-speed broadband infrastructure. The Cornwall project is a public-private partnership that could potentially be copied in other rural areas. BT is contributing £78.5m to the £132m project, with the remainder of the money coming from the European Union's regional development funds. Cornwall, once renowned for its tin mining, has suffered since the industry collapsed in the 1980s. It is one of England's poorest counties, and local authorities are trying to bolster the economy by improving the county's infrastructure.