Fareham MP briefed on broadband progress

Fareham MP Suella Fernandes has been briefed on the progress of Hampshire’s Superfast Broadband programme during a meeting with Hampshire County Council’s Executive Member for Capital Receipts, Councillor Mel Kendal.

Commercial coverage through BT and Virgin Media is providing access to Superfast Broadband, speeds of 24Mbps and above, to 80% of premises in Hampshire.
The County Council currently has a mandate to work with Openreach - BT’s local network business – to increase the number of county premises with Superfast Broadband access from 80% to 96% by 2018.

Wave 1 of the programme, due for completion by the end of April 2016, has reached over 80,000 premises through the upgrade of 350 cabinets, increasing access to 90% of households and businesses.
Wave 2 of the programme has just begun and will reach over 34,000 premises across the county between January 2016 and September 2018. Once completed, Wave 2 will make Superfast Broadband available to 96% of premises in Hampshire.

In Suella Fernandes' constituency of Fareham, 75% of premises are currently able to access even higher speeds of 200Mbps of Superfast Broadband through Virgin Media's commercial upgrades. This, when combined with BT’s commercial coverage and the County Council’s upgrades, has increased coverage to 96%. The County Council has upgraded 7 cabinets serving 872 premises across Fareham, Locks Heath and Titchfield exchanges. There are further upgrades to complete during Wave 2. Once complete, 99% of premises in the constituency will be able to access improved speeds.

Remember: the upgrade isn’t automatic, you must contact your Internet Service Provider to upgrade to the new speeds available to you.

Residents can follow out step by step guide at www.hampshiresuperfastbroadband.com/residents/switch-on/