Gateshead NGA event
18 March 2009
Over the next few months, the Community Broadband Network (CBN) is organising a series of six conferences around the country to discuss the contribution that local authorities, Regional Development Agencies, and private companies can play in developing local schemes for the provision of next generation access (NGA) or super fast broadband. The first of these events was held today in Gateshead.
On behalf of the Communications Consumer Panel, I gave a presentation about a survey we have conducted mapping as many as possible of the various local NGA schemes which are taking place throughout the UK. The total comes to almost 40, covering every nation in the UK and every region in England.
Four of these are in the North East region. One of them is in Gateshead itself in the Baltic Business Quarter where Alcatel-Lucent is providing optical fibre in a scheme called Gateshead Technology Innovation or G-ti.
It was clear from the day-long proceedings that there is growing interest by local authorities in promoting next generation broadband in their communities and some frustration at the relatively slow roll-out of NGA in the UK by big players like BT compared to what is happening in so many other countries.