BT fibre broadband set to boost north-east economy

BT will create thousands of new jobs in the north-east in the coming years through the rollout of fibre optic broadband, according to Regeneris Consulting.

Over the next 15 years, the telecoms giant could offer a £143 million boost to the average UK town and create 225 jobs by investing in super-fast broadband, a report from the independent economics firm claims.

The company is aiming to deploy fibre broadband to two-thirds of British properties by the end of 2014, with the work set to involve laying more than 50,000 km of cables.

In the north-east, BT spent over £245 million with suppliers in 2011 and is responsible for the employment of almost 4,000 people - 3,380 staff members and 435 contractors.

Last month, Regeneris predicted that BT's fibre broadband rollout will offer a £20 billion boost to London over the next 15 years.

Stephen Nicol, managing director of the consultancy, said: "The interesting thing about BT is that it provides a genuinely national impact."