MANCHESTER has made progress in its drive to become a 'superconnected city.'
he project will also tackle issues of digital exclusion in so-called 'white areas' where the private sector have been reluctant to invest.
Confirmation has arrived of £12 million of government funding to spread the advantages of ultrafast broadband. This comes in the wake of the announcement earlier this month that Manchester will become one of the first cities in the UK to get superfast 4G mobile.
The Council is also currently exploring the market to find a suitable partner to deliver free Wi-Fi in public spaces across the city. It is hoped to launch the first phase - in the city centre - before Christmas, with other parts of the city to follow.
The Manchester Digital City plans, to be funded through today's announcement, will complement a Greater Manchester-wide strategy to roll out ultrafast broadband across the city region.
It aims to make ultrafast broadband available to 228,000 premises in total - with the aspiration that the latest government funding will help bring it to 27,700 residents and 6,200 businesses by 2015.
Additional funding will also be available to support small and medium-sized businesses which require even faster connectivity, including providing suport and advice to help them maximise the benefits.
And high-speed wireless connections will be installed across key public areas and along major transport corridors, making it easier than ever for people in the city to get online quickly.
The project will also tackle issues of digital exclusion in so-called 'white areas' where the private sector have been reluctant to invest. Currently only 74 per cent of residents can access broadband, with take-up particularly low in communities such as Wythenshawe and east Manchester.
Removing this 'digital divide' will radically improve the potential to deliver online services to residents.
Councillor Nigel Murphy, Executive Member for Environment, said: "The Manchester Digital City package will result in high speed internet access for all of our residents and businesses, promoting social inclusion and stimulating economic growth, particularly in the digital and media industries.
"We aim to be one of the world's top 20 digital cities by 2020 and these latest developments in ultrafast broadband, 4G and Wi-Fi are all significant steps forward."
