More Merseyside homes to benefit from BT's fibre broadband rollout

Tens of thousands more Merseyside properties will be connected to fibre optic broadband over the coming year, BT has announced.

In a move that is expected to benefit the local economy and boost job creation, the telecoms giant is set to bring the technology to another 42,000 homes and businesses across Merseyside.

Hunts Green in Liverpool and East Runcorn in Cheshire are the latest communities to be included in the super-fast broadband rollout, with the work set to be completed by the end of spring 2014.

As well as bringing fibre broadband to more locations, the upgrade will see BT engineers extend availability in areas that already have limited access or are due to be connected.

Liverpool Chamber of Commerce (LCC) said the move will help to make local businesses more confident of an economic recovery.

"High-speed communications have never been more vital in order to succeed in an ever more competitive and connected world," commented LCC's chief operating officer Jenny Stewart.