Plan submitted for Super connected Edinburgh

A plan to bring 90% of Edinburgh residents and businesses high speed broadband by 2015 was submitted to the UK Government today.

Estimated funding for this as well as enhanced wireless zones in key streets, squares and parks, initially focused in the city centre, was announced in March as part of the £100m of Urban Broadband funding set up by the Westminster government for their Super-Connected Cities Initiative.

The final ‘Connected Capital’ plan for Edinburgh was submitted by the City of Edinburgh Council today ahead of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s final funding announcement expected in September. Edinburgh is due to receive between £8-11 million for the project.

The Council also agreed to commit £1.9m of revenue funding to deliver the programme at a meeting in April this year. Further funding and revenue streams will be sought to allow specific programme activities.

The plan for ‘Connected Capital’ submitted includes two key infrastructure investments.

• Enhanced wireless zones in key streets, squares and parks, initially focused in the city centre, with the potential to extend to key cultural and community locations across Edinburgh.

• Connecting those areas of the city with high speed broadband where commercial roll-out was not planned in the next three years.

Underpinning these infrastructure investments is the need to stimulate demand for high speed broadband across the city among residents and businesses and develop educational and social opportunities to ensure that Edinburgh is a digitally inclusive city. Creation of digital infrastructure will also support a vibrant tourist sector and stable economic growth.

Cllr Alasdair Rankin, Convener of the Finance and Resources Committee, said: “This project is a great example of the Capital Coalition’s pledge to provide for Edinburgh’s economic growth and prosperity. Edinburgh is fast moving towards becoming a super-connected city, which will enable us to compete with the world’s top digital cities. The capital is already a world class visitor destination and a great place in which to live, work, study and invest.  This funding will help the city to attract new jobs and investment, help unemployed people into work or learning and will greatly enhance our offering as a digitally inclusive city.”

The Council is working with stakeholders across Edinburgh to develop the project. Residents and businesses who would like more information or to be kept informed of progress can complete an online form.