BT accused of leaving Liverpool in ‘digital desert’

Jul 17 2009 By David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post

“The city council has awarded them a long-term multi-million pound contract to run Liverpool Direct, and yet BT don’t seem able – or if they are able then they aren’t willing – to work and invest in the technological infrastructure that the city needs.

“I would urge BT to look again, to ask themselves how much they value their partnership with Liverpool Council, and to consider whether they should be working more closely with us.”

Cllr Clucas said Sefton already had a fibre optic connection to the USA, and there was an opportunity to improve that link.

“BT’s decision is outrageous,” she said. “The company should be looking seriously at the potential for somewhere like Liverpool. This would have been a great opportunity for the company to build its customer base.”

Mike Blackburn, BT’s regional director for the North West, defended the firm.

He said: “BT is committed to Liverpool, and the city has always featured strongly in BT’s communications strategies, as the investment in our world-leading 21st Century Network and BT Wireless City programmes show, as well as our sponsorship of the BT Convention Centre.

“A number of factors were considered in selecting these sites, including levels of anticipated demand, linked to interest from our customers – the Communications Service Providers – predicted performance of the service, economics, topography, and the levels of interest from a number of other organisations.

“BT believes there is no commercial case at present to extend fibre-based broadband much beyond 50% of the UK.”

Liverpool has a long- held ambition to transform itself from a “seaport to an e-port” – at the cutting edge of digital technology.

OPINION: PAGE 8