BT hails Surrey's 'world-beating' fibre broadband plan

Surrey's fibre optic broadband plans will give the county world-leading connectivity, according to BT's managing director of next-generation access Bill Murphy.

The county council aims to achieve almost universal super-fast broadband coverage before the end of 2014 - significantly more ambitious than the national target of 90 per cent access by 2015.

"I don't think you'll find anyone else in the world with those type of numbers," Mr Murphy commented.

BT has been chosen as the communications provider to carry out the extensive fibre broadband rollout, under a deal that will ensure the council delivers on its pledge of bringing the technology to up to 20 per cent of homes and businesses not included in any commercial deployment plans.

More than 80,000 properties would be set to miss out on super-fast broadband access altogether without the intervention of the publicly funded scheme.

Peter Martin, deputy leader of Surrey County Council, said ensuring more businesses are able to connect to next-generation speeds is "essential to the continued strength, the continued dynamism and the continued growth of Surrey".