DC12-109April 16, 2012

CORNWALL’S ‘COMMUNICATIONS REVOLUTION’ REACHES OUT TO MORE

THAN A THIRD OF THE COUNTY’S HOMES AND BUSINESSES

Fibre broadband now available to more than 95,000 Cornish premises

More than6,000 customers already using high-speed technology

Cornwall’s ‘communications revolution’ has passed another major milestone on the road tothe county becoming one of the best connected rural locations in the world.

Superfast Cornwall, the pioneering superfast broadband partnership between the EU, BT and Cornwall Council, today announced that completion of the latest wave of its roll-out programme had made fibre optic broadband available to more than 95,000 Cornish homes and businesses, which is over a third of all premises in the county.

Demand in Cornwall for the high-speed technology is running at an all-time high with the high-speed technology already being used by more than 6,000 homes and businesses and orders being received at the rate of about 250 a week.

Superfast fibre broadband is now starting to become available in 52 of Cornwall’s 99 telephone exchange areas. The latest communities being upgraded are Helston, Hayle, St Ives, Fowey, St Just, Looe, Stithians, Pentewan, Mawgan, Gweek, Mevagissey, Mullion, Nanpean, Landrake, Grampound, Grampound Road, Germoe, Indian Queens, St Columb Road, Cubert, Rosudgeon, Ashton, Gorran Haven, Foxhole, St Dennis, St Stephen in Brannel, Cawsand, Kingsand, Probus, St Erth, Lelant, Canons Town, Metherell and Harrowbarrow*.

Nigel Ashcroft, Superfast Cornwall programme director for Cornwall Development Company, which manages the £132 million Superfast Cornwall initiative, said: “The partnership is making strong progress. At the start of the programme we set ourselves the ambitious target of rolling out the network to 90,000 Cornish homes and businesses by the end of March. We more than achieved that target and are now working towards the 100,000 mark, which we expect to reach in the next few weeks.

“But, of course, it is not just about building a new network. Crucially, we are also seeing great enthusiasm for superfast broadband from the homes and businesses of Cornwall. Orders are being received at a record rate and continuing to grow.”

Ranulf Scarbrough, BT’s Superfast Cornwall programme director, said: “Our engineering teams have been working flat out to meet growing demand and to build a network, which will make Cornwall and the Isles one of the best connected rural locations in the world. A huge amount of work remains and there are many challenges to be overcome, but already Superfast Cornwall is a great success story. The technology is already making an important contribution to Cornwall’s future success, boosting the competitiveness of businesses whilst offering new educational and entertainment opportunities for households.”

Chris Ridgers, cabinet member for economy and regeneration for Cornwall Council, said: “This initiative is bringing a fantastic boost to our local economy and will contribute greatly to the future prosperity and wellbeing of people in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. We’re proud to be ahead in the race to build superfast broadband and there is already a tangible sense of optimism from our entrepreneurial local businesses, which we will be supporting with development funding, details of which will be announced later this year.”

Superfast Cornwall expects to make fibre optic broadband available to at least 80 per cent of premises in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly by the end of 2014. Alternative technologies, such as wireless and satellite, will be used to boost broadband speeds in locations where optical fibre is not currently viable.

Among the latest Cornish customers to benefit from the high-speed technology is DogCam, a Bodmin firm specialising in video camera technology with products ranging from helmet-based camerasworn by pilots and skiers to cameras hidden in clothing, such as a baseball cap, for undercover work by the security services.

Owner Mark Nelson said: “Superfast broadband is fantastic news for our business. It is saving the business time and money and changing the way we live and work. This is a fast growing and fast changing marketplace and now we have superfast broadband we can really take advantage of all the opportunities to grow the business.

“Customers often send us videos they have taken using our cameras and we upload videos to YouTube and other social media. It used to take a couple of hours. Now we can upload and download videos in a fraction of the time.

“We are also able to use cloud computing for applications, such as backing up our data on-line.Increasingly, we are exporting our products around the globe and superfast broadband means we can make more use of video conferencing and Skype to connect with our customers overseas and provide a more personal customer service.”

DogCam, which employs six people, was established by Cornishman Mark in 2006 originally from his homes in Padstow and then St Wenn before moving to offices in Bodmin last year.

Up to £53.5 million of the funding for Superfast Cornwall is coming from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Convergence Programme, the largest ever European investment in broadband infrastructure, whilst BT is investing up to £78.5 million.

The new network is available on an open wholesale basis to all companies offering broadband services. Customers can check their phone line at to see if they can get the service straightaway and, if so, there are a number of internet service providers from which to choose. Prices start from around £16.50 per month. Introductory offers can be even cheaper.

END

For further information

Enquiries about this news release should be made to the BT Regional Press Office on 0800 085 0660 or Cornwall Development Company on 01209 311104. All news releases can be accessed at:

For further information on the Superfast Cornwall programme visit

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Notes to Editors

*In addition to the communities announced today, superfast broadband is already becoming available in the following telephone exchange areas:Truro, Liskeard, Launceston, Bude, Bodmin, St Austell, Falmouth, Redruth, Camborne, Marazion, Coads Green, Widemouth, Dobwalls, Chiverton Cross/Chacewater (Three Waters), St Agnes, St Day, Portreath, Devoran, Leedstown, Stenalees, Lanivet, Penryn, Porthtowan, Gunnislake, Par, Callington, Roche, Cockwells, Kilkhampton, Newquay, Penzance, Torpoint, Rilla Mill and Lostwithiel.

Further information about next generation broadband is available from

About the Convergence Programme

The Superfast Cornwall programme is part financed by the European Union with up to £53.5 million from the European Regional Development Fund Convergence Programme.

For further information see:

Convergence helpline telephone: 0800 0280120.

In Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly the Convergence programmes are made up of European Regional Development Fund (£374 million) and European Social Fund (£153 million) Convergence Programmes and will run until 2013.

The ERDF Programme investment is intended to boost the region’s economy by providing focussed support for business creating better quality, higher paid jobs. This support includes training and access to higher education, strengthening links between academia and business, improved IT infrastructure, additional high quality workspace and specialist support to boost business productivity.

About Cornwall Development Company

Cornwall Development Company Ltd is the economic development company for Cornwall Council and its mission is to achieve sustainable prosperity for all in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

Further information is available at

About Openreach

Openreach is responsible for the last mile of the UK access network – the copper wires and fibre connecting homes and businesses to their local telephone exchanges. Openreach provides communications providers with services and products associated with that network.

About BT

BT is one of the world’s leading providers of communications services and solutions, serving customers in more than 170 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to its customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband and internet products and services and converged fixed/mobile products and services. BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, BT Retail, BT Wholesale and Openreach.

BT is the official communications services partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. BT is also a sustainability partner of the Games and a Premier Partner of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

In the year ended 31 March 2011, BT Group’s revenue was £20,076m with profit before taxation of £1,717m.

British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York.

For more information, visit