The Enterprise Zone will benefit from significantly increased broadband speeds as a result of the installation of general purpose ducting across the area. This will enable the provision of fibre broadband to all businesses working in the zone.

Additionally, in December 2013 Bristol secured up to £11.3 million from the Government’s Urban Broadband Fund to ensure that a world-class digital infrastructure was in place to benefit businesses across the city. Part of this funding went towards a pre-commercial ultrafast broadband across a large, centrally-located area comprising the zone, the Harbourside and the University of Bristol. This ultra-fast broadband project forms the basis of Bristol Is Open, and will create an experimental high-speed network where technology companies, research organisations and small and medium-sized enterprises can develop and experiment with the next generation of network technology.

Bristol Is Open derived from Bristol’s Super Connected Cities programme. Other initiatives under this programme include a broadband voucher scheme to provide internet upgrades for businesses (now closed); technology demonstrators of the latest technology (such as such as High Definition Video Conferencing and video walls) at Engine Shed; improvements to street furniture and other technology projects designed to stimulate business take-up of superfast broadband.

You can find out more about superfast broadband on our blog.