Now is the time to invest in next generation broadband if the
West Midlands is to emerge stronger out of recession.
The call, from campaigner Glyn Pitchford, chairman of a special
Task and Finish Group probing development possibilities, came as
the City Region board approved an action plan to roll out next
generation broadband across the conurbation.
Telford and Wrekin Council, who are part of the project but not
members of the City Region, have approved the plan.
Mr Pitchford, elected Business Voice West Midlands business
representative on the City Region board, said: "The decision means
that practical work such as laying the right fibre optic cabling
should occur during 2010.
"This will mean that the West Midlands along with Telford and
Wrekin are one of a handful of areas in the world that can boast
next generation broadband - boosting the competitiveness of the
region and making it more attractive to major international inward
investors.
"It is demonstrating that the City Region and its local
authorities are the places of the future."
The Government, in its recent Digital Britain report, talked of
developing universal access at a minimum two megabits per second.
But the West Midlands has set its sights far higher.
Eight BT exchanges in the region - Fallings Park, Great Barr,
Leamore, Northern (Soho, Birmingham), Nuneaton, Tettenhall, Walsall
and Wednesbury - are among the latest UK locations due to be
upgraded next year.
It takes in an arc over the north Black Country which reaches
down through Bloxwich and Walsall and touches the northern end of
the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham.
The acceleration of BT's plans will see 1.5 million UK homes
have access to super-fast broadband by early summer 2010. A million
of those homes will be hooked up by March, which is a doubling of
the original pace of deployment.
The plan is the first chapter in BT's longer-term programme to
make super-fast broadband available to 40 per cent of the UK - or
some 10 million homes - by 2012.
In its report the City Region board said next generation
broadband would be "fundamental to the economic and social
future".
"One of the noticeable successes has been the increase in
collaborative working across the participating authorities and a
sharing of good practice," it noted.
"There are three clear drivers for next generation broadband -
business competitiveness, public service transformation, and
addressing the digital divide. The Working Party is concerned that
the Government is not addressing the issues."
The report acknowledges the need to act locally.
"There is an opportunity for building the requirements for
developments to be future proofed for fibre connectivity into
common planning guidance across the City Region, making this a
requirement in Building Schools for the Future and major public
sector funded projects in health and housing."
It would enhanced business competitiveness and "increase job and
life skills for all of the diverse communities in the City
Region".
The report continues: "There is much good work already underway
with clear initiatives to build on: Walsall Gigaport, Birmingham's
Digital District, Coventry's inner city fibre ring, and Telford and
Wrekin's Coalport Innovation Centre.
There are clear potential benefits of aggregation of demand as
well as sharing costs and expertise collaboratively.
"There is no single solution. There will be a need for
innovation not invention, using test-beds and pilot projects. Now
is the time to invest to grow out of the recession."
Each council should consider and approve strengthened
supplementary planning guidance, said the report. All should be in
a position to agree the principles by this December. The City
Region also wants to see the development of a training and skills
programme that would go alongside this roll out with a target date
of April to make a start.