BT rolls out fibre broadband to 110 Londonderry cabinets

BT has upgraded 110 street cabinets in Londonderry to receive fibre optic broadband in advance of next year's City of Culture celebrations.

Arlene Foster, Northern Ireland's Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister, said the telecoms giant has rolled out the technology to a further 783 cabinets across the country under its next-generation access programme.

The company's total investment in Northern Ireland is estimated to stand at between £30 million and £35 million.

Once the Northern Irish deployment is complete, 2,480 of the country's 2,900 cabinets will be able to receive fibre broadband, Ms Foster explained. This means 89 per cent of telephone lines will be connected to the service.

"The project has been delivered on time, on budget and in line with Department for Finance and Personnel spend approvals," she added.

According to the latest Ofcom figures, 97 per cent of Northern Ireland is covered by super-fast broadband networks, compared with just 58 per cent across the UK as a whole.