Devon and Somerset are set to begin the second phase of rolling out superfast broadband to houses and businesses across the two counties.

Durham is set to receive superfast broadband thanks to an initiative run by the local council and BT. The Digital Durham scheme has completed its first phase of connecting fast internet to over 107,000 homes and businesses. As part of this initiative, it has installed 498 cabinets, which have successfully brought fibre to premises in the county.

According to research released by comparison site uSwitch, Norwich has come seventh in the cities offering the slowest broadband speeds across the country. This has led several businesses and households in the city to worry they could be left behind, with the technological advances that are taking place.

Superfast broadband will now be available to every home and business in the Priory Vale area of Swindon following a trial period. Approximately 500 properties took part in the trial, which involved being connected via a fibre to the premises (FTTP) broadband. This connection offers 330Mbps speeds and after the trial, this will be extended to 1,000 homes and businesses.

The new Digital Economy Bill is set to go in front of parliament today and could be in place as early as next spring. The Bill, which guarantees a minimum internet speed of 10Mbps under the new Universal Service Obligation (USO), set out by the prime minister last October, is set to give rural homes and businesses a significant boost as they gain access to faster internet speeds.

Over 52,500 businesses and residential homes in Northumberland have now been connected to superfast broadband, thanks to the county’s iNorthumberland scheme.

Superfast Dorset has announced that its 500th fibre broadband cabinet has officially gone live in the village of Winterborne Houghton, with its residents the latest in the county to gain access to superfast broadband.

The organisation which represents the interests of land, property and business owners in rural England and Wales, has called for the new Universal Service Obligation (USO) regarding superfast broadband speeds to be enshrined in law.

The majority of homes and businesses in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire now have access to superfast broadband, thanks to a fibre optic broadband rollout programme in the two counties.

Local authorities have been under-spending on their broadband rollouts, which will give the government project Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) extra funds to achieve its goals.