About BT Group

BT's Regional Broadband Partnerships

Switch on Shropshire

Launched: 22nd January 2004

Update: November 2005

Partners:

Switch on Shropshire (SoS) is a project being delivered by Shropshire County Council on behalf of the Shropshire Partnership. Members of the Shropshire Partnership include all the Salopian District Councils, (including the Telford & Wrekin Council), the Community Council for Shropshire, Chambers of Commerce and Business Links.

Detail

SoS is an ERDF (under measure 2.4 - investment in ICT infrastructure in rural areas to aid economic development and access to work and training opportunities) and RRZ funded project that targets all European Objective 2 wards in the County of Shropshire. SoS will deploy some £3.7m of funds over two phases.

In Phase 1 SOS:

  • Provided subsidised connectivity for businesses using broadband technologies where available

  • Utilised broadband technologies (e.g. satellite or fixed wireless) to connect community facilities and businesses based in remote locations where hard cabling solutions are not available

  • Provided support packages to businesses and community/voluntary groups

Phase 2 is now well underway and is focused on:

  • Continuing the roll out of satellite, fixed wireless and terrestrial connectivity to SMEs and community/voluntary groups

  • Continuing the roll out of SME and Voluntary Organisation ICT support packages

  • Playing a major part in helping to build a Broadband infrastructure for all Shropshire businesses, communities and citizens

To find out more about how the partnership has been supporting businesses and local communities in Shropshire, visit http://www.btplc.com/broadband-partnerships/Casestudies/WestMidlands/stretton.htm to learn about businesses supported by the initiative or go to the partnership website at http://www.switchonshropshire.org.uk/

Objective 2 wards in Shropshire are served by some 50+ BT exchanges. Some have been enabled through the trigger level scheme, while BT enabled four exchanges in advance of their triggers being met. Church Stretton, Longville, Whixall and Queens Head communities have all benefited from this early enablement.