Internet provider Openreach has today outlined plans to build ultrafast, broadband to around 160 homes and businesses in the North East’s hardest to reach communities.
A total of 46 exchanges across the region will be upgraded, providing a more reliable service to places like Stocksfield, Amble, Tow Low, Rushyford, Staindrop, Rowlands Gill, Lanchester and Otterburn.
The plans also include an extension to the company’s biggest ever recruitment drive, with a further 1,000 new roles being created around the country in 2021 on top of the 2,500 jobs which were announced last December.
Robert Thorburn, Openreach’s regional director for the North, said: “Building a new Ultrafast broadband network across the North East is a massive challenge and some parts of the region will inevitably require public funding.
“But our expanded build plan means taxpayer subsidies can be limited to only the hardest to connect homes and businesses. And with investments from other network builders, we’d hope to see that shrink further.
“This is a hugely complex, nationwide engineering project. It will help level-up the UK because the impact of Full Fibre broadband stretches from increased economic prosperity and international competitiveness, to higher employment and environmental benefits.
“We’re also delighted to continue bucking the national trend by creating more North East jobs, with apprentices joining in their droves to start their careers as engineers.”
Most of the areas being targeted in the new programme fall in Ofcom’s ‘final third’ of the UK, the areas which are the least commercially viable parts of the country for broadband infrastructure upgrades.
Recent research suggests connecting everyone in North East to full fibre would bring a £1.7bn boost to the regional economy.
