Wednesday 27 June 2018

Brent Council announces deal for high-speed broadband by across the borough by 2020

Press release from Brent Council

Just in time for the Euro 2020 games, residents and businesses across Brent will be able to enjoy some of the fastest broadband speeds in Britain, aiming to deliver up to 1 gigabit per second broadband by 2020.


Brent Council has given the go ahead to high-speed broadband provider Hyperoptic to roll out its full-fibre broadband to an estimated 14,500 council homes and a number of businesses in the borough.


But it's not just residents in council-owned properties that will benefit. In total around 80% of all residential properties will have access to the new network as well as 50% of businesses across the borough.


Community centres in the borough will benefit from free broadband connections, where digital Inclusion training sessions will be held for residents and businesses. The training sessions will give people the tools they need to get online and teach them different ways to access digital services.

Offering broadband at more affordable prices than many Internet service providers, Brent residents will be offered some of the fastest broadband speeds in the country.


The council is also in talks with other providers to offer residents a wider selection of Internet providers to choose from, giving them the chance to shop around and find the best deals.


Cllr Margaret McLennan, Deputy Leader of Brent Council, said:
As Britain steps into an increasingly digital future, the need for fast broadband has grown rapidly over the past decade. I'm thrilled that Brent is leading the way in providing access to high-speed broadband for residents and businesses in agreement with Hyperoptic. We want to offer residents and business better choices when it comes to getting online, and access for those who may otherwise be unable to afford it.

The council works hard to ensure ease of access for everyone who uses our services, regardless of whether they're online or not, but we know the vast majority of people are online now. That's why we're bringing access to a high-speed broadband network to the majority of residents and businesses in the coming years. We believe that for many, access to the Internet isn't just a luxury, but a necessity.


Tim Huxtable, Head of Public Sector and Social Housing, Hyperoptic said:
Hyperoptic has been committed to Brent for many years, consequently it is already one of the better connected boroughs in the UK. We commend Brent for being such a strong, forward-thinking council and for appreciating the added economic and social benefits to be gained by providing the option of a full fibre broadband connection to both its social and private constituents and businesses.

Designed to deliver hyperfast speeds by delivering fibre optic cables direct to buildings, Hyperoptic aims to rollout broadband speeds of up to 1 gigabit to the majority of Brent in the coming years.

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