Kent council hails 'landmark' BT fibre broadband deal

Kent County Council's (KCC's) business strategy chief Roger Gough says he is excited about the local authority's "landmark" fibre optic broadband partnership with BT.

Announced on Monday (March 18th 2013), the deal - backed by just under £20 million of public money and £19.6 million from BT - will ensure that at least 95 per cent of Kent's homes and businesses will be able to access higher-speed fibre broadband by the end of 2015.

Without the project, many parts of the county - particularly rural communities with dispersed populations - would have missed out on faster broadband.

Mr Gough, KCC's cabinet member for business strategy, performance and health reform, said the announcement marks the start of a "large-scale, landmark infrastructure project" for the county.

"Just as the thousands of miles of rail and roads are essential in bringing the county together, this is an essential network for Kent," he explained.