The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has announced that ten cities are to receive a total of GBP114.1 million (USD184.7 million) to fund infrastructure development as part of a project to transform them into the country’s first ‘super-connected cities.’ The funding will be used to install broadband infrastructure capable of download speeds of 80Mbps-100Mbps to 230,000 homes and 55,000 business as well as deploying high speed wireless networks. The work is expected to be completed by 2015. The ten cities to receive funding are London (GBP25 million), Leeds and Bradford (GBP14.4 million), Belfast (GBP13.7 million), Manchester (GBP12 million), Bristol (GBP11.3 million), Cardiff (GBP11 million), Edinburgh (GBP10.7 million), Birmingham (GBP10 million) and Newcastle (GBP6 million).
Culture secretary Maria Miller said: ‘Fast broadband is essential for growth, and is key to the country’s economic future. These ten cities have produced ambitious and comprehensive plans, which will turn them into digital leaders, and give their local economies a real boost. The new investment will help put these cities at the centre of the digital stage, competing for jobs and investment with the best in the world.’