For the city to prosper investment in faster broadband is essential

Following the beginning of work on the drawing up of a strategy the plans for the West Midlands to launch next generation broadband have taken a significant step forward.

In order to bring faster broadband internet connections to the city an action plan has been requested by the City Region board that must be presented by September, with the possible deployment being worked on by a task and finish group.

For inward investment, competitiveness between businesses and encourage the relocation of financial firms to within the region, which will create new jobs, this move is considered to be essential. At the NextGen Roadshow at Maple House Conference Centre in Birmingham recently the organisers presented the broadband strategy for the region.

The computer technology hub at the proposed £400 million Walsall Gigaport development could play a very important role in these plans according to Glyn Pitchford, the City Region board member, who is chairing the task and finish group.

Mr Pitchford said “The advantages of such a project are not only that next generation broadband would be provided to as many businesses as possible in the region, making the City Region a more competitive centre of business activity, but by linking this to a significant data processing capacity in Walsall, this could improve the business activities of a range of potential users. These could be Primary Care Trusts, police, education, back office functions of financial institutions, TV and media companies, international businesses, telecommunications and electronics.”

With the possibility of becoming a potential data storage centre to be used for powerful broadband services, the Gigaport development could create as many as 3000 new jobs in the area. Currently at the front of the broadband plans are Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council, Coventry City Council, Telford and Wrekin Council and Birmingham City Council.

To meet the demand for information and communications technology (ICT) from customers, faster broadband communications speeds would be needed said Mr Pitchford. Convincing financial service companies to think about moving the office jobs currently based in London back to the region, which could potentially create thousands of high salaried jobs, was the intention of this latest move by City Region.

A task and finish group report stated “It was recognised that other areas of the country were also considering advanced ICT connections and, as a consequence, it would be a vital prerequisite for the City Region that it should not be left behind and lose its competitive edge because of a lack of action in this area. However, the key characteristic of particular benefit is the Gigaport in Walsall. This ICT hub can act as a national storage centre for data and can provide valuable spin-off commercial activities such as in media and further education.”

It went on to say “The immediate commercial advantage of next generation broadband would be particularly relevant for inward investors and large businesses with sophisticated data managing requirements.”

download flesheater movie