Bradford will soon become one of the first metropolitan districts in the UK to have all its telephone exchanges linked up for high-speed broadband Internet access.
A campaign by the Broadband Airedale and Wharfedale group has succeeded in its bid to bring broadband services to five areas which had been deemed "uneconomic" for conversion. The success of the project, officially unveiled yesterday, means householders and businesses in Burley-in-Wharfedale, Addingham, Steeton and Silsden, Denholme, Thornton, Cullingworth and Wilsden will soon be able to use broadband.
But Bradford still has among the lowest take-up rates in Yorkshire for the service, with only 3.8 per cent of those able to use broadband actually getting connected. Broadband Airedale and Wharfedale aims to change that by offering a range of support services including a new office in Keighley, free weekly workshops and a special help desk. Grants will also be on offer to help businesses cover the cost of connecting.
Speaking at yesterday's launch in Bingley, Councillor Simon Cooke, Bradford Council's executive member for the economy, said: "It is absolutely clear to me that if we are going to deliver a successful economy in Airedale we must have the highest level of access to broadband."
As a result of the project, which was funded by Bradford Council, Business Link, Yorkshire Forward, the European Regional Development Fund and BT, four of the new exchanges will be ready on November 19. The Cullingworth and Wilsden exchange will follow in February 2004.
Trevor Higgins, regional manager for BT, said the challenge now was to encourage businesses to make use of the service. He called the level of take-up in Bradford to date "abysmal".
Delegates at the launch heard how broadband had helped several businesses in the area, including a vet who had been unable to carry out an operation on a dying dog.
He used the broadband connection to create a live link-up with another vet who went through the operation step-by-step.
For more details about the project, telephone (01535) 600055.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article