Broadband boost for rural Larne

Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster has announced a new investment of £215,432 to improve access across Northern Ireland.

The funding has been awarded to North West Electronics through the £1.9 million Northern Ireland Broadband Fund, which is co-financed under the European Regional Development Fund Sustainable Competitiveness Programme.

The project will result in the construction of 40 network access points in prime locations. Mrs Foster explained: “There are areas of Northern Ireland where a fixed-line solution is not possible for technical and commercial reasons. The Broadband Fund enables local businesses to demonstrate how a range of technologies can deliver broadband services to rural users.”

The minister added: “On completion by March, 2012 this project will deliver access to broadband services of at least 10Mbps to business and residential premises in areas where access has been limited.”