Fibre broadband launched in Islip under 'groundbreaking deal'

A groundbreaking deal between BT and the Oxfordshire village of Islip has resulted in the launch of fibre optic broadband in the rural community.

The service can now be accessed by almost 250 local homes and businesses thanks to the agreement, which saw residents raise more than £11,000 towards the cost of rolling out the fibre optic network.

BT opted not to include Islip in its £2.5 billion commercial fibre deployment as it did not make sound financial sense to bring the technology to such a sparsely populated area.

However, the community funding and the proximity of the nearby Kidlington telephone exchange allowed the company to build a business case for upgrading the village.

An event was recently held in Islip, offering people the opportunity to find out the benefits that super-fast connectivity offers to businesses and residents alike.

Alison Mitchell, Chair of Islip Parish Council, said: "We are delighted that the village will be able to move from the slow lane into the super-fast lane, in terms of broadband speeds."