BT says super-fast broadband rollout will grow West Sussex economy

The report, by Regeneris Consulting, predicts the high-speed technology is capable of contributing hundreds of millions of pounds to the local economy.

It will allow existing firms to operate more efficiently and to develop new products and services and make it easier for new businesses to get started through increasing use of innovations, such as ‘cloud computing’.

The report predicts that over the next 15 years BT’s super-fast broadband investment could give the economy of a typical town a £143 million boost, create 225 new jobs and 140 new start-up businesses.

There is also expected to be a big surge in flexible and home working. The report says that the high-speed technology could result in about 1,000 more homeworkers in a typical town.

BT’s £2.5 billion roll-out of super-fast broadband across the UK has already made the technology available to more than 1.7 million South East homes and businesses – and this figure is expected to pass 2.6 million by the Spring of next year.

John Weaver, BT’s regional director for the South East, said: “This report demonstrates the great benefits that BT’s activities, including its major investment in super-fast broadband, are delivering for West Sussex and will continue to deliver in the years to come.

“BT is playing a vital role in the prosperity and well-being of the county from the massive economic boost provided by our activities to the 10,000 hours of volunteering activity carried out by BT’s people right across the region.

“BT’s plans to roll-out next generation broadband across the South East are already well underway. But we want to go further and would very much welcome the opportunity to have an even bigger impact on the regional economy by working with the public sector to make the high-speed technology available in more challenging areas.

“It is vital that we continue to grow and help our customers, stakeholders and employees to thrive as we work together to create a more prosperous South East.”

The full report is available at www.btsocialstudy.co.uk