Super-fast broadband bypasses the North East
Mar 26 2009 by Andrew Mernin, The Journal
Although more regions are expected to be announced by BT towards the end of the year, Onyx CEO Neil Stephenson believes the fact that the North East has not been deemed a priority in the super-fast plan means that it could be left playing catch-up with the rest of the country.
He said: “I’m disappointed that BT didn’t think the North East was strategically important. We could get a digital divide between the haves and the have-nots – we will be a have-not for a while.
“I don’t know any businesses that are willing to use technology less, so it’s really important – you only have to look at the Government’s view of the economy and where we are right now, it is protecting all the sunrise industries.
He also warned that companies in the North East could be left with a choice between moving to other parts of the country which have access to super-fast broadband or continuing to push BT to bring it to the region.
“I would like to see our region have it sooner rather than later and I would like to think there’s enough demand to warrant it.”
Onyx, which employs around 100 people on Tyneside and Teesside, is now calling on businesses across the region to contact it via its website, onyx-group.net, to explain why they would benefit from super-fast broadband.
Mr Stephenson then aims to take this feedback to BT to prove that there is huge demand in the North East, as he looks to ensure the region remains firmly in BT’s super-fast broadband plans.
“We are partners with BT and have a very good working relationship with them. We would like to feedback that market intelligence and pass it on to them to make the case for the North East.”
At a round table event for small businesses in the region last month, a spokesperson for BT said that the North East could lead the way in the super-fast revolution if it could show the those leading the plan how much demand there is here for the new infrastructure.
At Gateshead’s Baltic Business Quarter, Gateshead Technology Innovations is already developing a super-fast broadband connection, although this will only benefit a fraction of the region’s business community.
BT has pledged to spend £1.5bn by 2012 to ensure that 40% of UK homes and businesses – some 10 million premises – can access fibre-based services.
A spokesperson for BT’s North East division said this week’s super-fast broadband announcement was just the beginning of its plans.
She said: “In any process there will be areas that are not involved in the early roll-out phase. The decision on which areas to start with was driven by a number of factors including a calculation of potential take-up and the engagement of local and regional government.
“We have worked closely with industry and with local and regional authorities to choose these sites and we will strongly welcome input and support from local and regional authorities in the next stages.”
Steve Robertson, chief executive of Openreach, the division of BT responsible for the delivery of the plans, said: “Super-fast broadband is essential to the UK’s future and so it is great to announce this initial set of locations.
“The wider industry will now be able to plan ahead as we will be making our services available on a wholesale basis. “We have worked closely with industry and with local and regional authorities to choose these sites and I would like to thank everyone who has worked with us to make this happen.
“We are in discussions with many other authorities so expect many similar announcements in the months to come.”
