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The benefits of superfast broadband are not exactly a secret, with many people across the UK taking advantage of the greater connectivity to enhance their daily lives.
And it seems that the network for such superfast speeds is continuing to steadily grow, with recent reports confirming the rollout of fibre-optic cables to reach as many as 100 remote locations across Wales.
The move, which was carried out by Superfast Cymru, is expected to connect more than 190,000 new premises to the network. The news was confirmed by the Welsh government and will see communities in Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Ceredigion, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey, Merthyr Tydfil, Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Swansea and the Vale of Glamorgan, all benefit from the rollout.
The Welsh government has provided around £205 million in funding for the project, while partner BT has offered as much as £220 million to help get the development moving.
Work involved around 100 telephone exchanges and is just part of a wider scheme to bring speeds across Wales up to 24Mbps in 96 per cent of homes and businesses by 2016.
The news is sure to be welcomed by consumers and businesses across Wales alike, with the country currently behind the rest of the UK in terms of superfast broadband connectivity. However, the proportion of premises with access has increased from 48 per cent to 58 per cent over the past year.
Ed Hunt, Superfast Cymru programme director, said: “Reaching the 100 exchange area milestone is wonderful news - but we’re not resting.
“We’re carrying on our rollout and look forward to bringing superfast speeds the length and breadth of Wales. We have already made service live in 19 Local Authority areas and we’ll be in all 22 soon.”
“The Welsh government is fully committed to seeing Wales become a truly digital nation and ensuring we have the right infrastructure in place is vital in making that vision a reality,” added Ken Skates, deputy minister for skills and technology. “Our plans for superfast broadband are the most ambitious in the UK providing faster broadband to a greater proportion of premises more quickly.”
Mr Skates added there was plenty of cause for optimism for many people across Wales, with Superfast Cymru currently well ahead of similar schemes elsewhere in Britain.
He said: “This is a massive logistical undertaking, involving 17,500kms of optic fibre being laid. That’s enough to stretch from my constituency office in Llangollen to Sydney, Australia.
“However, by this time next year we will have treble the number of premises in North Wales which have access to superfast broadband. Soon Wales will be in the superfast lane, while great swathes of England bumble along far behind.”
Many will view the implementation of such technology as being long overdue, but it seems that Wales is now well poised to make its mark on the digital age.
