Broadband services in rural areas are to be improved, following an announcement by Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster of a third call for broadband project applications with competition opening on April 6, under £1.9m Northern Ireland broadband fund.
This third call will focus on Counties Fermanagh, Armagh and Down.
The fund, co-financed under Eur
opean Regional Development Fund Sustainable Competitiveness Programme 2007-2013, aims to increase options for delivery of broadband services in rural areas.
It offers practical, financial support of up to 50per cent of overall project costs to organisations undertaking broadband technology trials here.
The fund supports trials demonstrating technologies that can be used to deliver higher speed, next generation broadband services and projects which offer solutions for provision of commercial services in priority rural areas in Northern Ireland.
Minister Arlene Foster said: "Exploitation of Northern Ireland's world-class telecommunications infrastructure is a key priority for my department, with the contribution of broadband to economic growth now recognised globally.
"In August 2008 I launched the Broadband Fund, which plays a key role in achieving the commitments for widespread deployment of next generation broadband services, under the Programme for Government.
"We are already supporting two successful applications under a previous Broadband Fund call. The first is establishing an extensive fixed wireless network across the rural west and the other is proceeding as a technology trial in Ballintoy and Ballinamallard.
"Our key objective is to encourage emergence of affordable, high speed broadband services in rural areas, providing conditions for growth of local enterprises and supporting commercial, educational and social requirements," she said.
