Member Article

Ryton first to benefit from Better Broadband in Gateshead project

Ryton is the first location in the North East to benefit from the Better Broadband in Gateshead project, which is part of the multi-million pound Digital Durham broadband programme.

High-speed fibre broadband has now ‘gone live’ in Ryton and thousands more homes and businesses across Gateshead will get access as the programme progresses.

In April 2013, Gateshead Council, in partnership with seven other local authorities, agreed a deal with BT to form Digital Durham, a £25 million initiative to transform broadband speeds for businesses and residents across Gateshead, County Durham, Sunderland and Tees Valley.

Building on BT’s commercial roll-out of fibre broadband, which has already brought fibre broadband to more than 31,000 Gateshead homes and businesses, the project will extend high-speed fibre broadband availability to around 95 per cent of premises in the Gateshead area by the end of 2016. It is also aiming to provide a minimum of 2Mbps broadband speeds for all.

BT’s investment of £5.9 million bolsters the public sector investment, which includes £9.1 million from partners and £9.1 million Government funding from Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK).

The majority of premises will be getting access to some of the best broadband speeds, boosting the competitiveness of local firms and offering new ways of flexible working, entertainment and learning opportunities for local residents.

One of the first people in Ryton to upgrade to the new technology is Neal Younger, 36, from Greenside. He said: “I work from home providing customer support for businesses using internet telephone services.

“We use internet telephony to talk to customers and have a help system in place which enables me to log into a customer computer remotely to locate a problem.

“Without fibre this could be very slow to connect and load, which wasn’t great for the customer experience.

“Since I’ve upgraded to fibre there’s no waiting, downloading is now about six times faster, while uploading files and such like is more than ten times faster. It makes working effectively so much easier.

“I occasionally download podcasts of radio shows like the Archers to listen to on my iPhone when I’m out and about.

“Before, I’d download one a week because it took too long but now I don’t think twice. It is downloaded in the time it takes to tie my shoelaces.”

Project director for Openreach, BT’s local network business, Derek Richardson said: “There can be few areas of modern life which are not touched somehow by broadband connectivity – whether it’s supporting how we work, how we learn, how we communicate with friends and family, or how we entertain ourselves.

“Fast broadband is the key enabler in the increasingly ‘connected world’ of the future.

“Fibre broadband can transform this borough’s prospects, connecting and empowering businesses within, across and between cities and ensuring they can engage effectively with the local and world economies and markets.

“Investment in broadband infrastructure will help revitalise and regenerate the local economy, and improve our competiveness within the UK and in the global market.”

Leader of Gateshead Council, Mick Henry, said: “High-speed internet access plays an ever increasing role in our lives.

“This investment will make a big difference to the everyday activities of many people. Whether it’s faster internet banking, more entertainment choice or the ability to send business information more quickly, this is great news for everyone in the community.”