Public reports pack PDF 3 MB - Blaby District Council

6.1 Super-fast broadband (SFBB) is emerging as a priority infrastructure within
Leicestershire. The deployment of super-fast broadband (SFBB) will:
• provide the foundations from which the UK economy will grow and recover
from �the recession – to improve prosperity in the wider economy
• ensure the UK is competitive in global markets
• improve consumer power and choice, overcoming rural isolation
• help transform the way public services are delivered
• increase access to services
• reduce the need to travel and tackle climate change
National and Local Funding
6.2 British Telecom (BT) is investing £2.5bn to roll-out SFBB across the UK. It is
anticipated that through this investment two thirds of the UK population will
have access to SFBB by the end of 2014. A map showing the location of BT
investment in Leicestershire is included at appendix A. BT considers that all
other areas, referred to as the final third, are not commercially viable and will
require public sector funding.
6.3 The Government aims to ensure that all of the UK has access to the best
broadband connectivity in Europe by 2015. Leicestershire County Council has
a vision to deliver SFBB (c24Mbit/s) to all premises in Leicestershire by 2017
with at least 90% being delivered by 2015.
£6m has been allocated by Leicestershire County Council to match the
Government’s £3.14m allocation. A further £300,000 has been allocated by
the County Council to provide better broadband services in the most remote
areas.
All Leicestershire district council’s are being invited to invest to ensure that the
deployment can extend to as many businesses and residential premises as
possible. Furthermore, the County Council is leading efforts to encourage
Government to increase its allocation and is working with other East Midlands
authorities to secure European Regional Development Funding (ERDF).
Broadband Roll-Out Proposals
6.4 Following the Government’s approval of Leicestershire’s broadband strategy,
the County Council will lead the procurement of a supplier using the
Government’s national procurement Framework; this includes BT and Fujitsu.
Procurement will commence in December 2012 and be complete by summer
2013. Deployment will commence following this until 2015.
At this stage it is not possible to determine the specific technology which the
contracted supplier will use to improve broadband connectivity. It is, however,
expected that the majority of improvements will be through fixed-line
connections rather than through mobile (4G) and satellite broadband. These
innovative solutions could be especially important in remote rural areas.
It is not possible to identify the full costs of deploying SFBB to the final third
with Leicestershire until later in the procurement process. Indicative research
has estimated this at a minimum of £20m. For Blaby District the total cost is
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