BT announces new fibre broadband boost for north-west

BT is to expand the reach of its high-speed fibre optic broadband services in north-west England.

Over 1.68 million homes and businesses in the region are currently able to access fibre broadband thanks to the company's £2.5 billion rollout programme.

However, BT has now pledged to put more money towards making the technology more widely available, with upgrades set to take place in areas such as Wigan, Woodley and Blackfriars in the next few months.

This means an extra 3,500 homes and businesses in the north-west should be able to make use of fibre broadband, the Manchester Evening News reports.

Mike Blackburn, BT Regional Director for the north-west, commented: "Fast, sophisticated connections are the cornerstone of a successful community, impacting on many aspects of modern life and providing a platform for new businesses and jobs."

He added that this latest rollout of fibre broadband demonstrates BT's "continuing commitment" to making the technology as widely available as possible.