Assembly. Green Mist descends on BT s Cardiff Data Centre. Superfast Cymru launches in North Wales

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1 It may take a while to say Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrn drobwllllantysiliogogogoch, but when it comes to surfing the internet in the village, the time it takes has just become a whole lot shorter. The village with the longest place name in the UK now has high speed fibre broadband! It has been delightful to be inundated with requests for information on the new Superfast Cymru roll out. Four months in and we are already ahead of our target deploying to premises in Northern Gwynedd and Southern Anglesey, with Ebbw Vale and Tredegar to follow in the near future. Deploying the new broadband network is only the start of the journey of course. It is essential that businesses and communities across use the faster speeds whether it is for online trading, home working, students accessing coursework at home or to connect families particularly the elderly to relatives that may live a distance away. These are just a few of the potential economic and social uses. There is more information on others on the bilingual Superfast Cymru web site It must be remembered of course that many people for various reasons are not digitally included. For many today and many more in the future it isn t because they have no access to broadband but, because they cannot afford to be online or they may lack the necessary skills. This edition explains some of BT s work in this area. We met with two BT colleagues from Northern Ireland recently in Caernarfon at a workshop with local key stakeholders facilitated by Gwynedd Council. They told us how Northern Ireland is now third for fibre take up in the OECD only South Korea and Japan have higher take up. I can remember when Northern Ireland languished with at the bottom of the broadband table. Not anymore. So we all need to work on demand stimulation to make sure we join our Celtic colleagues at the top of the league. After all if Cardiff City can do it, Superfast Cymru can. Ann Beynon BT Director Green Mist descends on BT s Cardiff Data Centre Superfast Cymru launches in North BT supporting local foodbank in difficult times Inspiring young learners Broadband in : BT s fibre revolution continues Green Mist descends on BT s Cardiff Data Centre Hosting more than 4000 servers across three data halls, BT s Global Data Centre in Cardiff is one of the most advanced facilities of its kind anywhere in the world. The centre has now gained a further accolade; becoming one of the greenest of its kind in the UK. Based in Cardiff Bay, the facility hosts data and hardware for a vast array of organisations. Backed up by two independent power supplies from the National Grid, and six backup generators, the need to maintain a cool and stable environment is vital, both for the safety and security of the data hosted, and the 300 staff who work on site. Thanks to a 300,000 investment in humidity and temperature control, the centre is on track to achieve savings of more than 250,000 per year in running costs, whilst reducing its carbon footprint by 1357 tonnes. Key to the savings is a new technology which uses sound waves to break up water molecules into a fine mist, regulating both the temperature and amount of moisture in the air. Sustainable Futures Commissioner for Peter Davies hailed the development as an outstanding example of what can be achieved with a determination to reduce energy consumption, adding that this kind of energy efficient approach can serve as an inspiration to other ICT companies in to become champions of climate change. BT People Ed Hunt, Programme Director, Superfast Cymru Local youth helping to bridge the digital divide Get IT Together takes Rhondda by storm

2 Superfast Cymru launches in North The Superfast Cymru programme, which will provide high speed broadband to Welsh homes and businesses, has hit the ground running as the first new fibre broadband cabinet was unveiled in Bangor. The project, a partnership between the Welsh Government and BT, will take fibre broadband the length and breadth of, and Welsh Government Minister, Edwina Hart MBE OSt.J AM, was on hand to unveil the first new fibre broadband cabinet in High Street, Bangor which will serve hundreds of homes and businesses in the area. Further street cabinets are being installed in the locality to serve many more. Mrs Hart said: Superfast Cymru will transform the broadband landscape across, making this country one of the most connected in Europe. Highspeed broadband is essential to ensure households have access to the services and opportunities provided by the latest digital technologies. Bangor is amongst the first eight locations announced by the Welsh Government and BT set to benefit from the partnership, along with Caernarfon, Dolgellau, Menai Bridge, Porthmadog, Pwllheli, Ebbw Vale and Tredegar. In total, engineers will lay around 17,500 kilometres of optical fibre cable and install around 3,000 new fibre broadband cabinets in streets across. BT will be also recruiting 100 new apprentices as part of the project and there have already been three appointed for North in the first intake, with another 15 joining the company this spring in the second wave. The pan- recruitment for positions will give people of all ages the opportunity to work on a programme that will boost the future economy of, and more positions will be filled as the roll-out continues. Mike Galvin, Openreach managing director of network investment, an ex-student of Bangor Uniersity, was also on hand at the launch: We have been working closely with the Welsh Government and a huge amount of preparation and planning has gone on to get us to where we are today, to a position where we expect to have the first customers connected as part of Superfast Cymru in the spring, he said.

3 This investment will involve Openreach working in communities throughout to make high speed fibre broadband a reality. It is an exciting time for this country and hugely important for everyone living and working here who needs a fast and reliable broadband service. Superfast Cymru is the largest partnership of its kind in the UK. The high-speed network installed by Openreach will be available on an equal, wholesale basis to all companies providing broadband services to homes and businesses. The initiative will take the total amount invested in Welsh fibre broadband to around 425 million when BT s commercial investment is taken into account. BT is investing approximately 220 million in the programme; the Welsh Government is contributing 58 million and has secured additional funding of 57 million from Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK), through the UK Government and around 90 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). European Commissioner for Regional Policy, Johannes Hahn, welcomed the project saying: Projects like this will have huge benefits for businesses and citizens. This initiative in particular will allow to seize the opportunities offered by the digital economy. This is a perfect example of how Regional Policy can help Europe s recovery and directly contribute to meeting the goals of the EU s growth agenda, Europe More information on Superfast Cymru can be found on our bilingual website Edwina Hart AM, Minister for Economy, Science and Transport, joined Mike Galvin of Openreach, Ann Beynon, BT Director, and BT apprentices Adam Czerniak and Mark Hewitt.

4 BT supporting local foodbank in difficult times It s awful to think that there are a growing number of families across who are having such problems making ends meet that they are going short of food. An increasing number of Foodbanks are emerging and expanding, and BT employees have been playing their part in helping where they can. BT has started an initiative, in conjunction with the Trussel Trust, to help with food collection for local Foodbanks. We ve set a challenging target to feed 10,000 people - this equates to 60,000kg of food! Members of the BT workforce have been setting up areas in buildings across the UK to collect donations. Foodbanks have been established by various charities to help alleviate these families who are in crisis. GPs and other care professionals identify needy families and individuals and issue them Inspiring young learners with vouchers that can be exchanged for 3 days-worth of food at their nearest foodbank. At BT s offices in Cardiff food collection points in Stadium House, and also in our building in the Bay - Ty Cynnal, have been set up and formally opened by Liv Garfield, Openreach CEO in November A list of healthy, non-perishable items has been provided so that people know what to donate, and the food is then delivered regularly to the Cardiff Foodbank Warehouse for onward distribution to people in need. Our Cardiff collection total so far is just over 340Kg of food (or cash equivalent), raised through a variety of means. With a number of buy one get one free offers in the supermarkets BT employees have been very generous in contributing from their weekly shopping. There has also been a cake sale with donations from Memory Lane Cakes. The BT Business Sales team even dipped into their incentive bonuses to assist in building a BT Tower of chocolate fingers boxes, which were then included in the Christmas parcels. The amount of food collected is recorded and there is an added benefit in that contributors and volunteers can include their contribution in their volunteering hours. BT will also be involved in the upcoming Foodbank Trolley Push which is intended to raise awareness of need in the local area, as well as provide a different sort of focus for collecting donations. BT are delighted to sponsor the event and also help with providing manpower and organisation where required. BT has been helping to inspire and educate school children in Carmarthen, by supporting a recent Careers Convention held at Parc Y Scarlets in Llanelli. The event, in partnership with Careers and Carmarthenshire County Council, showcased the opportunities within BT and many other career paths to over 1500 students from the local region. The BT stand, arranged by BT Work Inspiration Manager for, John Boase, formed part of the BT Work Inspiration programme which aims to reach out to young learners and unemployed young adults each year. The event in Llanelli was a chance to form connections with local schools and education providers, and further supports the work BT is carrying out in communities across. Mike Conlan, BT Work Inspiration Manager, was delighted with the event, commenting This was a fantastic venue and a brilliant opportunity for BT to show its ongoing commitment to corporate social responsibility in. It was a privilege to be involved and get to meet students from different backgrounds showing real interest in BT and what it has to offer in terms of apprenticeships and work inspiration.

5 Broadband in : BT s fibre revolution continues BT s commercial footprint is continuing to leave a positive impression across as thousands more homes and businesses enjoy the benefits of super-fast fibre broadband. Since the last edition of Briefing, a further 84,500 premises now have access to fibre technology, with 630,000 properties across due to have access by the end of spring This investment is great news for individuals and organisations in communities such as Tonypandy, Morriston, Wrexham and Gresford where fibre broadband has gone live for the first time. Furthermore, as a result of enhancements to our network in communities already served by BT s 2.5 billion commercial venture, a further 25,000 homes and businesses in Newport, Cardiff, Mold and elsewhere will be able to enjoy the benefits of fibre broadband. With Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) technology (where fibre runs from the exchange to a local roadside cabinet) offering download speeds of up to 80Mbps and upload speeds of up to 20Mbps, the impact on communities will be transformational. The almost instantaneous transmission of large amounts of data allows families to simultaneously play online games, download a movie and surf the net. A feature length HD film can be downloaded in less than 10 minutes and a whole album in under 30 seconds, whilst high quality photos can be uploaded to Facebook in a flash. Customers can take advantage of even faster speeds of up to 330 Mbps with the option of Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) technology, where fibre runs directly into the home or business from exchange points. Recognising the benefits of fibre broadband in Morriston, Leader of Swansea Council, Cllr David Phillips, commented: More people are using the internet for their daily activities and this will provide them with quicker access to services. It ll also give businesses an advantage and will hopefully encourage others to think about creating new businesses in the area. These benefits were confirmed in a recent report by Regeneris Consulting, which predicted that over the next 15 years the technology could boost the economy of a typical town by 143 million through the start-up of 140 new businesses, the creation of 225 new jobs, and the addition of 1,000 more home workers. This commercial investment sits alongside Superfast Cymru, the ambitious 425 million partnership that will bring fibre broadband to 96% of homes and businesses across by Ann Beynon, BT s Director, said: BT s fibre network is expanding rapidly across the country bringing a boost for local economies wherever it goes. As more than a million UK households and businesses have already discovered, fibre broadband opens up a whole new world to internet users. Whatever you re doing online, you can do it better and faster with fibre. It s great for education, shopping, entertainment, the social networking we now carry out routinely online and it also offers huge benefits for businesses and public services.

6 BT People Ed Hunt, Programme Director, Superfast Cymru Superfast Cymru Programme Director Ed Hunt discusses his exciting new role in managing the rollout of next generation broadband across. Ed Hunt is no stranger to technology. Fascinated from an early age, he went on to study Computer Science at Cardiff University. In the early 90s, the cutting edge industry offered challenging but rewarding career prospects and with this in mind, Ed joined BT following a recruitment session in Cardiff, where the firm was looking to source local graduates. Until the recruitment session, I was not aware of the extent of activity in BT said Cardiff born Ed, who now lives in Radyr. But I was attracted to the exciting opportunities, which offered me a chance to really push the boundaries of technology at the beginning of the digital age. Having started in 1996 as a software programmer he has worked his way up to oversee the rollout of BT s 425 million partnership with the Welsh Government, delivering superfast broadband to 96% of homes and businesses across by This is no mean feat, as Ed explains: The most challenging part will be expectation management. Everyone wants faster broadband, and we want to deliver it. We have high ambitions for and this is a large scale engineering project. A keen cyclist, Ed is familiar with the landscape of, having seen much of the nation on two wheels whilst training for gruelling challenges such as the Wiggle Dragon Ride in the Brecon Beacons and hill stages of the Tour de France. But it was the journey from Cardiff to Bangor, to celebrate the unveiling of the first cabinet under the Superfast Cymru project, that brought home the scale of the programme to Ed. He adds, We were on the A470, about ten miles outside Dolgellau, and I saw workmen laying fibre cables at the side of the road. This highlighted to me the extent of the engineering; there is so much hidden work going on beneath our feet to make this project possible. Ed recalls that despite the frosty weather in Bangor on that February morning, representatives from Superfast Cymru were given a warm welcome and the excitement and interest in the project amongst locals was clear. It is this excitement and the life changing possibilities that the internet can offer which Ed finds the most satisfying element of his role. From bringing enhanced connectivity to businesses, to providing a learning gateway for students, Ed says that the project will allow citizens to enjoy the richness of what the net can offer. A keen musician, Ed uses online resources such as downloadable guitar tablature and instructional how to play videos on YouTube to develop his talent. But, as Ed points out, this self-tuition over the internet can apply to all walks of life. For this reason, the rollout of next generation broadband across is about so much more then communications; it is about access to an online community of knowledge, entertainment and commerce that has something to offer for everyone.

7 Bridgend-born Paralympian athlete Nathan Stephens joined with BT Director Ann Beynon and pupils of Crug Glas School, Swansea, to celebrate the opening of their new sensory room. Local youth helping to bridge the digital divide For the second year in a row a pupil of Glan Afan Comprehensive School in Port Talbot has won a prestigious BT Internet Rangers of the Year Award. 12 year old Nathan Chaplin received the award after helping elderly people in his local communities get online. The BT Internet Ranger Award is part of BT s Get IT Together programme and is aimed at individuals aged up to 16 who have taught older persons basic computer and internet skills with the winner receiving 100 worth of IT vouchers and an ipad or laptop computer. Nathan s outstanding effort, which not only saw him pick up the honour but also the UK winner s title, was all the sweeter as he managed to pass on his wisdom to his Aunt Lynne. Having taught over 35 people in total, most of whom are pensioners, about getting online on their own and how to use the internet to contact family and friends, do their shopping and even compare insurance rates, Nathan said: It has really helped me improve my confidence and has taught me to be more patient. Whilst volunteering with the group I have learnt new computer skills and also seen how computers can help improve lives, especially for older people. I think that now I would really like to work with computers when I am older.

8 Get IT Together takes Rhondda by storm With access to the internet crucial for so many aspects of everyday life, BT s Get IT Together project has been helping to empower individuals and communities to experience the full potential of the online world. Launched in March at the Pop Factory in Porth, the latest initiative Get IT Together RCT is a three year project in Rhondda Cynon Taf, aimed at helping young people aged to develop employability skills and to support older generations in making the most of what the net has to offer. To deliver the project, BT is working in partnership with Citizens Online, the Welsh Government s Communities 2.0 programme, the Nominet Trust, and Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. With high unemployment rates in the area, improving employability skills will be a welcome boost to jobseekers in Rhondda Cynon Taf, as will the ability to search for jobs more effectively online. As many areas in Rhondda Cynon Taf fall into the 10% most deprived wards in, changes to the delivery of social welfare mean that digital inclusion is vital for social inclusion too. As Cathryn Marcus, Communities 2.0 project director, explained The forthcoming Welfare Reform and the introduction of Universal Credit will bring significant challenges for many residents who are unable to use digital technologies. This proactive partnership approach to digital inclusion in Rhondda Cynon Taf will ensure that people are able to access a well-co-ordinated, appropriate package of support. For older generations also, the ability to have confidence in using the internet can unlock a range of otherwise hidden benefits, such as finding a better deal on energy bills or ordering a delivery of groceries if getting to the shops isn t easy. Ann Beynon, BT s director for, welcomed the launch, adding Not being able to use the internet can leave people isolated and disadvantaged. We re committed to helping people in get online and to take advantage of this valuable means of communication. This is an exciting step forward in a journey to help both young people get jobs and older people to benefit from the online world.