Public urged to check broadband speed

The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District, Councillor John Boyle, is calling on local people's assistance with a new government campaign aimed at improving broadband services.
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District, Councillor John Boyle, pictured with Willie Lamrock, Chair of Derry and Strabane Rural Partnership and Deirdre Harte, Rural Development Manager, DCSDC, as part of a local campaign to encourage people in rural areas with no or poor broadband to check if their postcode has been included in the published lists for the £150 million Government Broadband scheme Project Stratum.  Photo: Jim McCafferty Photography)Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District, Councillor John Boyle, pictured with Willie Lamrock, Chair of Derry and Strabane Rural Partnership and Deirdre Harte, Rural Development Manager, DCSDC, as part of a local campaign to encourage people in rural areas with no or poor broadband to check if their postcode has been included in the published lists for the £150 million Government Broadband scheme Project Stratum.  Photo: Jim McCafferty Photography)
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District, Councillor John Boyle, pictured with Willie Lamrock, Chair of Derry and Strabane Rural Partnership and Deirdre Harte, Rural Development Manager, DCSDC, as part of a local campaign to encourage people in rural areas with no or poor broadband to check if their postcode has been included in the published lists for the £150 million Government Broadband scheme Project Stratum. Photo: Jim McCafferty Photography)

The Department for the Economy is asking broadband suppliers and members of the public to help ensure they have correctly identified local postcodes that contain premises currently unable to access 30 megabits per second (Mbps) broadband services.

The information will assist in plans that could see a significant investment of up to £200 million of public money in telecoms infrastructure in Northern Ireland, primarily in rural areas.

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Mayor Boyle said the funding could make a significant impact on broadband service provision locally.

“There has been a major investment in telecoms infrastructure across Northern Ireland, but there are still areas, particularly rural, where difficulties remain,” Cllr. Boyle said.

He added: “As a council area with large expanses of rural land and a strong focus on promoting and supporting rural communities and businesses, improving broadband services is a key priority.

“I would really encourage everyone to check the lists provided online and if you believe the information relating to your postcode is incorrect then please contact the Department for Economy as soon as possible.”

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The lists are currently published online at www.nidirect.gov.uk/broadband-improvement or people can visit the local council offices in Londonderry and Strabane where hard copies are available. “

For further information on the public consultation ‘Extending Broadband Across Northern Ireland – Project Stratum’ visit www.economy-ni.gov.uk/project-stratum

People can contact the Department for the Economy via email at [email protected] or by phone on 028 9052 9352.