Resolute

The cable that will bring superfast broadband to Scilly is being brought ashore today. A fibre optic cable that linked the UK to Santander in Spain, and which has been redundant for eight years, has been reused. The estimated £3.7m cost of the work is being financed by the EU and BT as part of the £132m Superfast Cornwall Initiative. Over the last week, the cable ship CS Resolute has cut the cable to the south of the islands and redirected a section to St Mary’s. This lunchtime, the cable will be brought ashore with help from the Harbourmaster’s boat Pegasus. When switched on later this year, the connection will bring faster internet access than is currently available using our microwave link to Cornwall. All net users should notice much faster downloads of up to 80Mbps and less downtime.