Rock leads the way in broadband phase two

iNorthumberland's Nathan Fuller, Sara Eke, Lalage Bosanquet, Justin Ibotson, deputy leader of Northumberland County Council Dave Ledger, Jay Bosanquet, Harry Rutherford and BT Regional partnership director Simon Roberson.

The village of Rock has become the first location to be upgraded to superfast broadband in the second phase of the iNorthumberland programme.

This second phase of the multimillion-pound roll-out will see more than £4.1million invested in the programme area in addition to the £18.9million invested in the first phase.

Engineers from Openreach, BT’s local network business, have been hard at work across the county and in the coming weeks people living and working in locations such as Netherton, Widdrington and Doddington will be able to order fibre broadband from their chosen service provider.

Coun Dave Ledger, deputy leader of Northumberland County Council, said: “It’s great to see the second phase of this ambitious and high-performing programme well under way.

“How fantastic to celebrate the delivery of high speed broadband to small settlements like Rock – ensuring that residents, businesses and community organisations there can reap the same communications benefits as large towns.”

On Thursday, December 1, the iNorthumberland team will be visiting Rennington Village Hall between 11am and noon and South Charlton Village Hall between 1pm and 2pm.

Berwick MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: “The roll-out of fibre broadband is very important for communities across Northumberland, but nowhere more so than in our most rural communities, so it’s great news that Rock will be the first of many remote and rural communities brought up to speed by this second phase of the iNorthumberland roll-out.

“Broadband is now an essential part of modern life – used for everything from homework to shopping to farming. It is crucial to ensuring a connected and prosperous future for people living and working in the county.”