BBFN chief says Norfolk keen to exceed fibre broadband targets

Norfolk is aiming to exceed the government's fibre optic broadband access target, programme director for the Better Broadband for Norfolk (BBFN) project Karen O'Kane has revealed.

The Conservative-led coalition is looking to deliver super-fast broadband to 90 per cent of homes and businesses by 2015, but Ms O'Kane revealed the county is not prepared to limit its ambitions by restricting itself to this goal.

Speaking to the Eastern Daily Press, she explained: "This 90 per cent is the national commitment, but we are going to push for 'as much as possible' so if we can exceed 90 per cent, we will."

The BBFN infrastructure will start to be rolled out from early next year, with universal speeds of 2Mbps set to be available by the end of March 2015.

At present, more than 50,000 commercial and residential properties in Norfolk are stuck in broadband notspots, with either no access to the technology or very slow speeds of less than 2Mbps.