Wales awards £425m broadband contact to BT
The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) has confirmed its £425 million super-fast broadband contract has been awarded to BT.
This news comes as little surprise, given that BT was the only bidder left in the process following Fujitsu's decision to pull out of the running earlier this year.
BT explained the project, which is the largest of its kind in the UK, will draw on public and private funding to roll out "world-class broadband" with speeds of up to 80Mbps to 96 per cent of Welsh homes and businesses by the end of 2015.
Ultra-fast speeds of up to 330Mbps will be extended to certain areas and made available to customers 'on demand' across the entire fibre optic broadband network.
The investment - comprising approximately £58 million from the WAG, £57 million from Broadband Delivery UK, £90 million from the European Regional Development Fund and the remainder from BT - is expected to boost job creation in the country.
Having won the contract, BT is set to create 50 new jobs and 100 apprenticeships, while 320 positions will be safeguarded.
Responding to the news, UK Communications Minister Ed Vaizey said: "It is great news that rural communities throughout Wales will soon enjoy the benefit of super-fast broadband."
