Ballymena’s broadband ‘will be brought up up to speed’

Local residents and businesses had been urged to respond to a DETI consultation about the speed of BroadBand in their area.

Through this process DETI now have a list of postcodes of properties that either don’t currently receive a Basic Broadband service of at least 2MBps or who are unable to receive Superfast Broadband of at least 15MBps.

At last Monday’s meeting of the council Chief Anne Donaghy explained that subject to certain conditions, these slow broadband areas will be addressed. She said: “The postcodes have been identified that fall below, they will be addressed and hopefully updated to 2MB.”

Sinn Fein Councillor Paul Maguire called on increased speeds for Martinstown, telling members that the village did not have green metal broadband cabinets used to generate high speeds.

“People from Cargan do benefit from super fast broadband, while people in Martinstown don’t. The reason I am told is that in Cargan they have a green box, whilst in Martinstown they don’t.”

He said: “There is no prospect I am told of a green box being installed in Martinstown as it is now economically viable.”

Cllr. Maguire urged council to keep the pressure on DETI on this issue. The CEO pointed out: “It has been council pressure that has made sure this many postcodes in Ballymena were listed. I think there is an argument for Martinstown, but I can’t say if it will be successful.”