Faster broadband boost

WARRINGTON and Cheshire are expected to receive a massive boost, creating thousands of new jobs and start-up businesses as a result of the arrival of super-fast broadband.
The improvement will take place over the next 15 years, arising from the investment by BT, according to a new report.
Existing firms should be able to operate more efficiently while new businesses will be able to get started through increasing use of innovations, such as “cloud computing”, according to the report by Manchester-based Regeneris Consulting.
The report predicts that over the next 15 years the super-fast broadband investment could give the economy of a typical town a £143 million boost , create 225 new jobs and 140 new start-up businesses, while for a typical city the figures are expected to be £296 million, around 430 new jobs and 320 business start-ups.
There is also expected to be a big surge in flexible and home working. The report says that the high-speed technology could result in about 1,000 more homeworkers in a typical town and around 1,500 in a city.
BT’s £2.5 billion roll-out of super-fast broadband across the UK means the technology will be available to more than 1.8 million North West homes and businesses when current and planned upgrades are completed.
The Regeneris report also examines the wider impact of BT in Cheshire and Warrington through direct employment, expenditure with contractors and suppliers and the spending of its employees.
It shows that BT last year gave the county’s economy a £206 million boost and was responsible for the employment of around 1,400 people, including contractors. BT’s activities also supported more than 3,100 more Cheshire jobs through spending with suppliers and the expenditure of its employees.
The overall beneficial financial impact of BT activities in Cheshire and Warrington, including the roll-out of super-fast broadband, is expressed as a “Gross Value Added” (GVA) contribution with last year’s BT GVA amounting to £206 million.
Mike Blackburn, BT’s regional director said: “This report demonstrates the great benefits that BT’s activities, including its major investment in super-fast broadband, are delivering for Cheshire and Warrington and will continue to deliver in the years to come.
“BT is playing a vital role in the prosperity and well-being of the region from the massive economic boost provided by our activities to the 8,000 hours of volunteering activity carried out by BT’s people right across the region.
“BT’s plans to roll-out next generation broadband across the North West are already well underway. But we want to go further and would very much welcome the opportunity to have an even bigger impact on the regional economy by working with the public sector to make the high-speed technology available in more challenging areas.
“It is vital that we continue to grow and help our customers, stakeholders and employees to thrive as we work together to create a more prosperous North West.”