SUPERFAST broadband is to come to Okehampton in the next four months as part of a major £94-million partnership.

Connecting Devon and Somerset has announced that Okehampton, Okeham-pton Hamlets, Hather-leigh, North Tawton and South Tawton will be among 31 communities to receive high speed fibre broadband for homes and businesses within the next four months.

By the end of March 2014, 44,000 homes in Devon and Somerset will be benefitting from the programme.

Superfast broadband in Sticklepath has already 'gone live', while the village of Moretonhampstead should be fully upgraded by the end of this month.

Alongside the private sector's commercial roll-out, the Connecting Devon and Somerset programme aims to make superfast broadband speeds of 24Mbps (megabytes per second) and above available to around 90% of homes and businesses by the end of 2016.

County councillor for the Okehampton Rural Division Kevin Ball was delighted with the announcement.

'It is terrific news for Okehampton,' he said. 'A rural community like ours could have been left out, but we haven't been.

'Devon County Council has worked extremely hard in conjunction with Somerset County Council and Connecting Devon and Somerset to help make this happen. The roll-out will help a large number of rural communities, including our own in Okehampton.

'In an area like ours, where we have a high number of small businesses and self-employed people working from home, it will make their lives a lot easier,' added Mr Ball.

'It opens up new opportunities to these businesses, making e-commerce an easier and more viable option for them. Hopefully, it will also make Okehampton an attractive proposition for higher-tech businesses.

'As the roll-out is completed, it will hopefully draw new people and new businesses to the area. That could have a positive impact on jobs and business in the area. It is brilliant news.'

The chairman of Okehampton and District's Chamber of Trade Ian Bailey also welcomed the news. He said: 'It has been pushed forward for quite a while now, and it is great to see it get the go ahead. It is a great boon for businesses in the town, especially accommodation providers and the growing number of people who are working from home.

'Small businesses are increasingly doing more of their business online, so it can only be a benefit for them too. It is news that can only be welcomed.'

West Devon Borough Councillor Christine Marsh said: 'The rurality of being in Devon and being where we are means that super-fast broadband is an absolute must for us.

'It will help our businesses connect with the larger cities, and help them to find new customers.

'In the age we are now living, the internet is an integral way of how people and businesses communicate with one another. It is essential for our way of life. At long last, Okehampton will be getting superfast broadband — it is great news for us here.'

Laurent Boon, BT's programme manager for Connecting Devon and Somerset, said: 'The arrival of fibre broadband is one of the most important investments in Devon and Somerset in recent times. High-speed fibre broadband is transforming the way we live and work.

'For businesses, it can help deliver a competitive edge, which will help them attract new customers and find new, more efficient ways of working.

'For households, it's ideal for quick and efficient on-line shopping, entertainment, education, research and social networking.'

Councillor Andrew Leadbetter, cabinet member for economy and growth for Devon County Council, said: 'We are all aware that good connectivity is vital for our rural economy.

'Our businesses can now begin to take advantage of the opportunities improved broadband will bring in new markets, trading potential and productivity. To be able to make this major step forward is terrific news.'

Most of the programme will be Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) technology, where the fibre runs from the telephone exchange to a fibre optic street cabinet. It can deliver download speeds of up to 80Mbps and upload speeds of up to 20Mbps. These are the top wholesale speeds available to all service providers, though speeds offered by service providers may vary.

According to regulator Ofcom, the average download speed in Devon is currently 11Mbps. The new network is available on an open, wholesale basis to all broadband service providers.

Households and businesses wishing to place an order or find out more about fibre broadband should contact their service provider.