Are you next in line for Superfast Broadband?

Rural parts of East Hampshire, Winchester, Basingstoke and the New Forest will be able to benefit from high-speed broadband, as phase four of Hampshire’s Superfast Broadband Programme is set to provide access to an additional 10,500 homes and businesses between October 2014 and March 2015.

Phase four of the multi-million pound project will see fibre broadband cabinets switched on in the rural areas of: Havant, Hayling Island, Liss, Petersfield, Alresford, Bransgore, Sopley, Burley, New Milton, Itchen Abbas, Hordle, Barton On Sea, Ringwood, Greatham, Ball Hill, Woolton Hill, Highclere, Headley, Kingsclere and Yateley.

Detailed map of the areas to be covered in phase four.

Hampshire’s Superfast Broadband programme, delivered by Openreach - BT’s local network business, is helping to fill the gap in rural areas beyond the private sector’s commercial plans. It aims to provide at least 95 per cent of all premises in Hampshire with access to superfast broadband by the end of 2017.

So far the programme has given just over 21,000 premises the opportunity to switch to Superfast Broadband, including Sharon and Philip Hopkins from Hordle, New Forest who own the software company, Apptelic. Sharon and Philip adopt a flexible working approach, and are based from home the majority of the time. Philip sees the technology as fundamental to the future of software and digital fields: “Superfast Broadband is crucial for the future of our business and others alike. Thanks to the improved connection, we can now work on global projects without constant flights, and instantly exchange ideas at anytime, from anywhere.” Read more on this story.

The county-wide rollout is a key part of Hampshire County Council’s long-term economic plan to secure Hampshire’s future by providing access to superfast broadband in areas that the private sector would not otherwise have reached.

Leader of Hampshire County Council, Councillor Roy Perry, said: “The next phase of our Superfast Broadband Programme will see another 10,500 homes and businesses given the opportunity to switch over to faster internet speeds. We are now half-way through our programme and a total of approximately 59,000 homes will have been upgraded by the end of 2015 - in some of the most rural parts of Hampshire.

"Superfast broadband is increasingly important if local households and businesses are to make the most of the huge range of opportunities offered by the internet, whether they are seeking to start a new business, find new customers, undertake on-line training, complete homework or simply use it for leisure, and keeping in touch with family and friends.”

Peter Cowen, BT’s regional partnership director for the South East, said: “This is excellent news for Hampshire, and another important milestone for a partnership which is making real progress. This popular technology can help homes access leisure and entertainment choices at the click of a button, whilst businesses can grow and boost the local economy.”

People using superfast broadband are able to use multiple bandwidth-hungry applications at the same time and send and receive large amounts of data much more quickly and efficiently. New Superfast Broadband services are set to transform the way households use the internet, from the simple sharing of pictures and video, and on-line learning and research, to enjoying the growing boom in entertainment services available on-line.