Programme Achievements – February 21st, 2020

Nearly 1 million homes and businesses in Devon and Somerset now have access to superfast broadband thanks to the CDS programme and stimulation of the commercial market — an important part of CDS’ role.

Over 300,000 homes and businesses have access to superfast broadband as a direct result of investment by CDS
CDS has delivered superfast access to the largest number of homes and businesses of any
programme in England and cost per premise is in lowest quartile. Source: BDUK
Total coverage across the CDS area is around 90%*.
*Total coverage = CDS-funded + commercially-funded.

Superfast coverage delivered by CDS is as high as 82% in deeply rural areas — compared with
the average 33% that Government estimated the public sector would need to fund.

Take-up of CDS-funded broadband services is nearly 65% compared with a national average of
61.4% and that is generating millions of pounds of new money to invest in expanding the CDS
coverage thanks to the Government’s “clawback” agreement with BT. Source: BT

CDS contracts with Airband are due to deliver superfast access to around 21,000 homes and
businesses in deeply rural areas of Central, North and West Devon, Torridge and Dartmoor and
Exmoor by the end of 2020.

Since the inception of the CDS programme, over a 250,000 miles of optical fibre has been laid to
connect rural communities – enough to circle the Earth ten times.

CDS has launched a successful Community Challenge Fund pilot working with communities in
Devon and Somerset to co-produce superfast solutions that work best for best for local people and
businesses. More communities will benefit in 2020/21.