Help Boost Broadband and check the list!

The Department for the Economy is asking broadband suppliers and members of the public to help ensure they have correctly identified all those postcodes that contain premises currently unable to access 30 megabits per second (Mbps) broadband services.

Check if your postcode can benefit from Project Stratum.

People are asked to check the lists published online at nidirect or visit their local council offices where hard copies are available. 

Noel Lavery, Permanent Secretary, said, “I would encourage people to review these lists to ensure that we have identified those postcodes where broadband services of at least 30 Mbps are not available. If you believe the information relating to your postcode is incorrect then please contact us soon as possible.

“This is an important and necessary step in preparing the ground work that could see an investment of up to £200 million of public money in telecoms infrastructure in Northern Ireland, primarily in rural areas.

“There has been significant investment in telecoms infrastructure across Northern Ireland, but there are still areas, particularly rural, where difficulties remain. This exercise aims to identify those areas so that we can ensure funding is targeted appropriately.”

For further information on the public consultation visit the DfE website page Extending Broadband across Northern Ireland – Project Stratum

People can contact the Department via email at stratum@economy-ni.gov.uk or you can call 028 9052 9352 and leave details of their address and landline telephone number.

Notes to editors: 

1. The £150m of the funding provisioned for investment in broadband development for this intervention was established as part of the Confidence and Supply Agreement between the Conservative and DUP following the General Election in 2017.
2. This exercise is a preparatory step being taken by the Department to continue to move the related project, Project Stratum, forward. An Invitation to Tender is currently scheduled for early 2019, subject to the necessary approvals being in place.
3. For media enquiries please contact the Department for the Economy Press Office on 028 9052 9604 or pressoffice@economy-ni.gov.uk. Outside office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer on 028 90378110 and your call will be returned.
4. Follow the Department of Economy on Twitter @Economy_NI

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