The construction of a new wide area network (WAN) for Northumberland County Council has been completed as part of its 20-year strategic partnership with network provider Commsworld.
The company said it has laid 262km of full fibre cable to replace the council’s old WAN, providing higher bandwidth and more resilient connectivity.
It said that 150 council sites are now connected to the network, along with 115 schools, and that residents and businesses have gained access to fibre-to-the-premises connections for the first time. It is working with local internet service provider Alncom to connect 50,000 properties in hard-to-reach areas of the county.
It is also working with the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE) and Community Action Northumberland, funding a project to recruit and train digital champions for rural communities. NICRE will carry out a three-year study of the project to provide a blueprint for digital inclusion.
Rural benefits
Cllr Wojciech Ploszaj, Northumberland’s cabinet member for corporate services, said: “The completion of this project will deliver significant benefits to our communities, particularly in rural areas.
“This enhanced digital infrastructure will enable us to improve educational resources and support local businesses by providing access to the fastest internet speeds available. This strengthens our commitment to bridging the digital divide, ensuring even the most remote areas are connected.”
The installation has taken place under a £22 million agreement announced in March of last year.
