23 Mar Fibre West – WLA partnership with BT means ultra-fast broadband for local users

West London secures £3.9m deal to bring ultra-fast broadband to residents, businesses, libraries, and schools:

• Up to 15,000 homes and businesses to receive full fibre broadband connections.
• Schools, libraries, and other public facilities to benefit from speeds of up to 1GB.

Five London boroughs will benefit from a new £3.9 million partnership between BT and the West London Alliance (WLA), in the first deal of its kind in London, to provide thousands of homes, schools and businesses with access to ultra-fast broadband.

This new partnership between the alliance boroughs and the telecoms and technology expertise of BT will see the creation of a new ‘full fibre’ broadband network, paving the way for up to 1GB internet speeds in parts of the London Boroughs of Barnet, Brent, Ealing, Harrow and Hillingdon.

Public facilities with slow internet connections – such as libraries, social care, community and youth centres – will see enhanced broadband create the opportunity for better services to residents and the capability to be more innovative in the services local organisations can offer.

The investment, which will connect public buildings, further unlocks new connections for up to 15,000 homes and businesses in the vicinity. This will bring major cost and time-saving benefits, including fast broadband to homes and businesses.

The project has been part-funded by the Government’s Getting Building Fund, and allocated by the Mayor of London. Further investment has come from London Councils’ Strategic Investment Pot, part of their Business Rates Retention Pilot.

Theo Blackwell, Chief Digital Officer for London, said: “The Mayor and I are committed to investing in London’s digital infrastructure to create a better, fairer, and more prosperous city for all. More than half of London homes are now connected to full fibre, up from only four per cent in 2017. Much of this progress is down to councils and City Hall working closely with telecommunications companies to encourage local investment like this project in West London.”

“We are thrilled that BT and West London Alliance have come together to provide thousands of homes, schools, community centres and businesses with ultra-fast broadband, minimising digital inequality and significantly improving people’s lives and livelihoods.”

David Francis, Director of the West London Alliance said: “Our Digital Infrastructure and Inclusion Programme has brought together expertise across local authorities and BT to ensure West London is one of the best-connected places in the UK.

“West London is a hub for fibre broadband and 5G investment that is rapidly becoming an economic powerhouse for Digital Innovation and Investment.”

Ed Maughan, BT’s director for London Private and Public Sector said: “This project with WLA will enable us to bring full fibre connections to five West London boroughs that will not just boost internet speeds, but also ensure schools, businesses, households, and essential public spaces benefit from future-proofed infrastructure.

“What’s more, it will help tackle digital inequality and bring access to state-of-the-art technology to key community hubs, which can often find it difficult to access funding.”

The package is the latest step for WLA in its aim of using cutting-edge technology to provide improved public services, reduce inequality and cut carbon emissions.