100 per cent coverage in place since 2005 - Foster

In a letter to the Sentinel the Minister denied a claim by the SDLP leader that whilst BT promotes Northern Ireland as the first region in Europe to be 100 per cent broadband-enabled this was simply not the case.

Mr Durkan made the comments in response to the announcement of a forty-eight million pounds investment in broadband in both rural and urban areas over the next eighteen months, earlier this month.

The project - due for completion by May 2011 - will be rolled out by BT, which after winning a competitive tender, is investing more than half the money with the rest coming from various public funds, including some from the EU.

But whilst Mr Durkan said the scheme will allow businesses in the city to operate more efficiently and effectively he also said: "If we are serious about promoting Derry and the North West as a region for trade and investment then we need to ensure that our communications and transport links are top class.

"BT promotes Northern Ireland as the first region in Europe to be 100 per cent broadband-enabled but in reality this is simply not thecase."

"For many rural communities in the North West being unable to access broadband is a major problem - not only for businesses, but for people working from home, students and researchers," he added.

The Enterprise Minister wrote of her disappointment at the comments, made by Mr Durkan in an article about the 48m announcement on December 9.

She stated: "This is a very significant project at a time when, in many other parts of the British Isles, the public and private sectors are scaling back on their investments.

"In addition we have high quality telecoms which are the envy of these islands and which this new project will further enhance.

"For this reason I must refute the suggestion that Northern Ireland does not have 100 per cent broadband coverage. This is untrue, 100 per cent broadband access was achieved in December 2005 and has been maintained ever since then."

The Minister also said that the Foyle MP, MLA has raised various issues in relation to telecommunications and broadband in the North West through correspondence.

This included the resolution of an issue concerning broadband provision at one of his constituent's premises and broadband provision in the Park area.

The Minister reiterated an offer to Mr Durkan to meet with her Department's officials to discuss the details of this provision.

She also wrote: "On a more positive note I fully agree with Mr Durkan that broadband is essential for businesses and these will be the main beneficiaries of the 48million announcement. While the project does not focus on students or researchers we do expect there to be spill-over benefits for all consumers as the project progresses.

"The 48million investment in telecoms positions Northern Ireland as an innovative region of the UK and Europe in terms of access to internal connectivity and access to faster, next generation, broadband services.

"It is also complimentary to the direct international connectivity, Project Kelvin, which we anticipate will bring significant benefits to Northern Ireland and to the North West.

"In September I also announced a 62,000 contract to develop infrastructure in the Foyle basin area to deliver broadband services of up to 100Mbps. This service is scheduled to be operational in May 2010.

"Moreover, the Broadband Flagship Wireless Walls project, which has secured additional funding from my Department this year, sits alongside these wider interventions, further enhancing the City's telecommmunications infrastructure."