This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/wales/7958666.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| New broadband '10 times faster' | New broadband '10 times faster' |
| (3 days later) | |
| Thousands of people in south Wales will be among the first in the UK to have access to super-fast broadband. | Thousands of people in south Wales will be among the first in the UK to have access to super-fast broadband. |
| BT has announced that it will be installing fibre-based broadband in parts of Cardiff and nearby Taffs Well in early 2010. | BT has announced that it will be installing fibre-based broadband in parts of Cardiff and nearby Taffs Well in early 2010. |
| It means speeds of up to 40 megabits per second (Mbps) - and potentially 60 Mbps - will be available to over 16,000 homes and businesses in the area. | It means speeds of up to 40 megabits per second (Mbps) - and potentially 60 Mbps - will be available to over 16,000 homes and businesses in the area. |
| That is more than 10 times faster than those experienced in most UK homes. | That is more than 10 times faster than those experienced in most UK homes. |
| BT said it was spending £1.5bn on the project - the largest investment in super-fast broadband ever seen in the UK. | |
| The technology behind the broadband - the so-called Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) - is being piloted in Whitchurch, Cardiff, along with Muswell Hill, north London, this summer, in advance of the wider roll-out. | The technology behind the broadband - the so-called Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) - is being piloted in Whitchurch, Cardiff, along with Muswell Hill, north London, this summer, in advance of the wider roll-out. |
| It gives customers enough speed to watch films, play games or work with complex graphics at the same time. | It gives customers enough speed to watch films, play games or work with complex graphics at the same time. |
| Urban areas | Urban areas |
| The company hopes that by 2012, 40% of UK homes and businesses - around 10 million premises - can access the fibre-based broadband. | The company hopes that by 2012, 40% of UK homes and businesses - around 10 million premises - can access the fibre-based broadband. |
| Across the UK, 500,000 customers will benefit from the first phase of the scheme. | Across the UK, 500,000 customers will benefit from the first phase of the scheme. |
| Along with Cardiff, they will mostly be in urban areas, including Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Greater Manchester. | Along with Cardiff, they will mostly be in urban areas, including Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Greater Manchester. |
| But two locations - Taffs Well and Calder Valley, near Halifax, West Yorkshire - are smaller and BT said it will be looking to learn lessons from deploying fibre technology in such environments. | But two locations - Taffs Well and Calder Valley, near Halifax, West Yorkshire - are smaller and BT said it will be looking to learn lessons from deploying fibre technology in such environments. |
| The next set of locations - serving a million homes and businesses - will be announced in the autumn. | The next set of locations - serving a million homes and businesses - will be announced in the autumn. |
| Steve Robertson, chief executive of Openreach, the division of BT responsible for the delivery of the plans, said super-fast broadband is "essential to the UK's future". | Steve Robertson, chief executive of Openreach, the division of BT responsible for the delivery of the plans, said super-fast broadband is "essential to the UK's future". |
| "The wider industry will now be able to plan ahead as we will be making our services available on a wholesale basis," he said. | "The wider industry will now be able to plan ahead as we will be making our services available on a wholesale basis," he said. |
| Wales has been stuck in the slow lane of the information super highway for far too long David Melding AM | Wales has been stuck in the slow lane of the information super highway for far too long David Melding AM |
| "This approach will benefit customers as there will undoubtedly be fierce competition for their business." | "This approach will benefit customers as there will undoubtedly be fierce competition for their business." |
| Ieuan Wyn Jones, the Welsh Assembly Government's Deputy First Minister said there was a recognition that "access to broadband is important to businesses and citizens across Wales." | Ieuan Wyn Jones, the Welsh Assembly Government's Deputy First Minister said there was a recognition that "access to broadband is important to businesses and citizens across Wales." |
| He added: "It is important that the telecommunications infrastructure in Wales is able to meet this challenge and this announcement is a further demonstration of the important role that Wales wants to play at the forefront of the development of next-generation broadband services across the UK." | He added: "It is important that the telecommunications infrastructure in Wales is able to meet this challenge and this announcement is a further demonstration of the important role that Wales wants to play at the forefront of the development of next-generation broadband services across the UK." |
| But the Conservative Shadow Minister for the Economy David Melding AM said: "While we welcome proposals to link the Cardiff area to a super-fast broadband network there are still parts of Wales struggling to get any broadband connection at all. | But the Conservative Shadow Minister for the Economy David Melding AM said: "While we welcome proposals to link the Cardiff area to a super-fast broadband network there are still parts of Wales struggling to get any broadband connection at all. |
| "Wales has been stuck in the slow lane of the information super highway for far too long, with the average broadband speed here slower than in London and Scotland. | "Wales has been stuck in the slow lane of the information super highway for far too long, with the average broadband speed here slower than in London and Scotland. |
| "The internet is a vital part of everyday life for businesses and individuals - and developing infrastructure such as this is crucial to helping the Welsh economy emerge in a strong position from the recession. | "The internet is a vital part of everyday life for businesses and individuals - and developing infrastructure such as this is crucial to helping the Welsh economy emerge in a strong position from the recession. |
| "The assembly government needs to work with broadband providers to make sure all areas of the country have access to broadband and then increase the basic speed of downloading here." | "The assembly government needs to work with broadband providers to make sure all areas of the country have access to broadband and then increase the basic speed of downloading here." |