BT announced that the Turgis Green exchange is to be included in the 2013 rollout of super-fast broadband. High-speed fibre broadband will be rolled out to another 25,000 homes and businesses in Hampshire during 2013. It will take the total number for the whole of the county to around 500,000, of which around 320,000 already have access.
Local MP for North East Hampshire, James Arbuthnot, said: ‘This is fantastic news for the area. It offers enormous hope to local business and homes which have been plagued by slow connection speeds for quite some time. I am delighted, and hope this will give the local economy a real boost.’
Local Councillor Ranil Jayawardena, said today: ‘This is good news for those living in and around Bramley and Sherfield, and I urge BT to complete this as quickly as they can. However, I know that many residents across Hart and Basingstoke & Deane will still be without superfast broadband and call on BT to bring forward their plans for the rest of north Hampshire.’
Ranil continued: ‘Because we are all so dependent on the internet these days, every aspect of life will see a great improvement from this major service upgrade. Our schools will see faster access and download times for materials that help teachers and students do better. Work will become more efficient, business able to grow, once faster and more reliable broadband becomes the norm. And with home access better than ever before, everyone will benefit.’
Internet users with a fibre broadband connection can do more online, all at the same time. A family can download a movie, watch a TV replay service, surf the net, and play games online simultaneously. A whole album can be downloaded in less than 30 seconds and a feature length HD movie in less than 10 minutes, whilst high-resolution photos can be uploaded in seconds.
Upload speeds are the fastest widely available to consumers in the UK, with large video and data files being sent almost instantly and hi-resolution photos posted online in seconds. And high quality voice and video calls mean businesses can keep in touch with customers while they cut down on travel. All in all, good news for local business and the community in North East Hampshire.