Connecting Cambridgeshire campaign success – thanks to you

2013 Report from the Connecting Cambridgeshire campaign

Thanks to everyone who has supported the Connecting Cambridgeshire campaign to bring superfast broadband to Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

Close to 24,000 people across the county have registered their demand for better broadband since May 2012 making it one of the fastest growing and biggest broadband campaigns in the country. Every registration counts to show suppliers the level of demand for better broadband across the county.

This campaign success has been achieved with the fantastic support of 100 Broadband Champions, local Councillors and organisations such as Cambridgeshire ACRE, who have encouraged their communities to register.

A range of local case studies showing how households and home-based businesses will benefit from better broadband have been posted on the Connecting Cambridgeshire website at www.connectingcambridgeshire.co.uk

What happens next?

The next stage of the Connecting Cambridgeshire programme will be to award the contract to a supplier in February 2013 to roll-out better broadband for all over the next three years.

Connecting Cambridgeshire is one of several UK broadband delivery projects in the ‘pipeline’ and will be seeking State Aid exemption during the final stages of the complex procurement process before finalising the contract award, with the sign-off and roll-out plan to follow.

Cambridgeshire County Council has already committed up to £20 million with £3 million from Peterborough City Council together with £6.75 million from the Government funding body BDUK for the roll-out of superfast broadband by 2015.

Cambridge’s share of the £50 million Super Connected Cities Government funding will be in addition to this investment in superfast broadband to stimulate growth and help communities and businesses to thrive, particularly in rural areas.

Regular updates will be posted on the Connecting Cambridgeshire website to keep you informed and Cambridgeshire ACRE will provide links to these via its regular monthly e-News Digest.