A dozen cities from across the UK have been chosen by Culture Secretary Maria Miller to share in a £50m funding pot to boost superfast broadband and Wi-Fi access.
Aberdeen, Brighton, Cambridge, Coventry, Derby, Londonderry, Newport, Oxford, Perth, Portsmouth, Saldford and York will all become so called ‘super-connected cities’ in an attempt to furnish them with the infrastructure necessary to attract hi-tech firms.
Miller said; “Fast broadband is essential for the growth and the creation of jobs . . . the new investment will help put these cities at the centre of the digital stage, competing for jobs and investment and supporting the British global race."
The lucky dozen follow in the footsteps on nine previous recipients; including Bristol and Edinburgh, who netted funding in the 2012 Budget.
The single biggest beneficiary will be TechCity in East London which is set to net £50m toward construction of an Open Data Institute, a body that will allow start-up’s to harness freely available data to create new products and businesses.