Both Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are to see their broadband connections transformed as a result of a new BT initiative and will be amongst the top five most connected places in the world.

This work, is to be completed by 2014, but the first customers are expected to be connected as early as next year (2011). It will be a big boost for Cornwall and the Penzance area in particular.
PZBN welcomes this development, supported by European funding, and encourages local businesses to start to reflect on how they could take advantage of this dramatically improved service.

Some of the claims for job creation and protection do seem ambitious. Clams have been made that the £132m project will create 4,000 new jobs, and safeguard another 2,000 and PZBN would like to see the evidence for those claims. Nevertheless PZBN expects this development to have a very positive impact on local employment and business opportunities.

PZBN member Martin Nixon, managing director of a brand and web development agency based in Hayle welcomed the move and said that as well as improving download and upload speeds the project would create a "buzz" in the county

Although the speeds available will be limited by distance from the exchange it is likely that half of the internet users in Cornwall and the IOS will have access to the highest speed of 100Mbps (megabits per second). However, the fibres will not reach the most remote areas in Cornwall and they will have to rely on a mix of alternative technologies such as "advanced copper", wireless and satellite broadband to achieve higher speeds.

Ian Livingston, Chief Executive of BT, has been quoted as saying: “This is a very significant project that once again positions Cornwall as a broadband leader. It will make the county one of the best connected areas in the world." BT is funding £78.5m and there will be up to £53.5m from the European Regional Development Fund.

Leader of Cornwall Council, Alec Robertson, has claimed it as a "landmark" moment: "The introduction of next generation super-fast broadband has the potential to transform the local economy over the next 20 years," he has been quoted as saying.

Robertson said access to "world-class communications" would increase the competitiveness of firms already in Cornwall and attract new ones.

According to the communications regulator Ofcom, the average residential download speed in the UK was 5.2Mbps in May 2010 – although speeds tend to be even lower in rural areas.

BT and the council say the network will be available on an open wholesale basis to all communications providers. So you will not need to be a BT customer to benefit.