Households and business in North Lanarkshire will have significantly improved access to gigabit-capable fibre broadband years earlier than planned.
A new deal has been approved by North Lanarkshire Council (NLC) that will fundamentally improve connectivity across the region.
Up to £150m could be spent over the initial 15-year deal with Commsworld to transform NLC's digital infrastructure, significantly boosting school internet access and creating a free public WiFi network across town centres and community facilities.
The deal will ensure significantly improved access to high-quality, reliable fibre connections, making a real and transformative difference to investment opportunities for businesses while also tackling digital exclusion.
Councillor Kenneth Duffy, the convener of the council’s transformation and digitisation committee, said: “This is a huge leap forward for the ambitions we have for everyone in North Lanarkshire.
“The potential impact of these plans cannot be underestimated as this contract has brought forward and increased the availability and choice of fibre broadband to towns, communities, businesses and rural areas across North Lanarkshire, massively improving their digital connectivity and delivering a GVA of around £1.3bn over 15 years.
“We know from talking with people in communities that digital exclusion is a real concern.
"Equality of access is crucial to improving the lives of people living here and we’re starting right here by providing a network of free public WiFi across our own public buildings, town centres, schools, leisure centres, venues, sheltered housing and homelessness facilities.
“This means that anyone can have access to one of the fastest internet connections available from these locations, supporting a range of individual and business needs such as faster upload and download speeds, higher quality video and audio streaming and the ability to support more devices simultaneously at home.”
The framework agreement for Digital Connectivity Services will not only futureproof NLC's digital backbone but enhance the coverage and reach of gigabit-capable fibre networks to businesses, private and council owned social housing and residential households.
It is expected this will bring "enormous benefits" including increased access to employment opportunities, improve health and social wellbeing and economic growth.
The digital transformation will create a free public WiFi network as all town centres, council and public buildings, sport and leisure facilities, culture venues, libraries, country parks, sheltered housing, schools and homelessness accommodation are connected,.
This will enable people who don’t have digital connectivity to have fast Internet access, helping to reduce the digital gap across North Lanarkshire.
John Trower, chairman of leading telecommunications network provider, Commsworld, added: “We are looking forward to working with North Lanarkshire Council to bring rapid and thorough transformation to their digital infrastructure.
"This transformation will provide opportunities to regenerate every one of its town centres, schools and council buildings.”
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