Ledcom boss slams Willowbank’s broadband exclusion

Ken Nelson made the comments after a letter regarding the issue from DETI Minister Arlene Foster to MEA Chief Executive Anne Donaghy was included in the agenda of an MEA Council meeting on March 3.

Despite Willowbank Business Park being in the BT40 2 postcode area, which was included in the proposed intervention area for the NIBIP superfast broadband project, the site failed to receive the service.

The letter from Ms Foster stated that telecommunications policy is “a reserved matter driven by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in Whitehall” and that it is “outside the remit of both DETI and DCMS to compel a provider to invest in particular infrastructure, technologies or to deploy services.”

It adds that Willowbank’s exclusion from the roll-out is due to BT’s planning and design process, which “will result in some structures and therefore

postcodes or parts of postcodes falling outside the project as their inclusion may not represent value for money.”

However, Mr Nelson says he would “strongly argue” that providing Willowbank with superfast broadband represents value for money, ensuring that home-grown businesses remain in Larne and enabling them to work in international markets.

He told The Times: “If current and future tenant businesses in the Park can access superfast broadband they are much more likely to remain and expand in Larne.

“It will also help attract inward investment to the area which will in turn promote business growth, job creation and fuel demand for local housing and services.

“That is a long-term investment which is worth making and is value for money.”

The local business leader said that Larne businesses unable to connect to superfast broadband would be restricted in their operations and growth.

“Businesses increasingly need access to superfast broadband wherever they are located.

“Willowbank Business Park has a number of highly innovative and export-focussed companies who have been disadvantaged to date by not being connected under the NIBIP.

“We have a lot of anecdotal evidence about the frustrations experienced by businesses, particularly with regard to download and upload speeds for large files.

“It makes video conferencing difficult and unreliable which is very limiting for any business operating in international markets.

“In today’s global economy, to compete effectively our client businesses need access to superfast broadband to win and retain business,” he said.

The NIBIP’s website boasts that “superfast broadband is fast becoming integral to Northern Ireland’s economic growth” and that it will boost growth in the NI economy by over £750 million, increasing productivity and allowing local firms to reach new markets.

However, after reading Ms Foster’s statement that there is “no universal service obligation on providers to deliver broadband services,” Mr Nelson has branded this “confusing.”

He continued: “Businesses want clarity, openness and transparency. The advertising in my opinion does not achieve this.”

The letter from Ms Foster to Ms Donaghy adds that her department is currently taking forward a further project to extend the reach of Superfast Broadband services across Northern Ireland, with a target completion date of 2017.

The letter continues: “£14.48 million has been indicatively allocated for delivery of this project and the list of postcodes forming the intervention area was subject to public consultation in August/September2014.

“A number of postcodes in County Anrim including BT40 2SF are included for consideration, however until the detailed planning and design has been completed it will again not be possible to say which premises will benefit from the upgrades.”

Mr Neson said he remained hopeful that this additional project would provide a solution for Willowbank in the near future.

East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson commented: “I thought industrial parks would have been given some priority.

“BT’s attitude is that it’s not commercially viable but £15 million of public money was given by BT to cover them in places where broadband was not commercially viable.

“The wait continues for businesses such as Ledcom and those in the harbour area.”