SUPER-fast broadband is being rolled out in a Flintshire town.

Connah’s Quay is the first town in North Wales to benefit from the high-speed revolution as 11,000 householders and firms are set to get fibre-based broadband speeds of 40Mb/s.

BT engineers are set to complete the upgrades over the next few weeks.

Michael Learmond, North Wales co-ordinator for the Federation of Small Businesses, said the move would provide a boost for the local economy.

He said: “It extends the opportunity for companies to take advantage. The exciting development will be when they extend this to the wireless network which will then widen the area. This is good news for business.”

While BT estimates the great majority of premises will be able to access fibre-based broadband, it is likely a minority will not initially be able to receive services for a variety of reasons.

But the firm’s local network business Openreach, which is deploying the technology, is looking at alternative solutions.

Carl Sargeant, AM for Alyn and Deeside, said: “The arrival of super-fast broadband is a very important development for the town and it represents a significant investment in this area. I welcome the opportunity for local householders and businesses to be at the forefront of benefiting from this exciting technology.”

Ann Beynon, BT director for Wales, said: “This is an exciting development for the Wales broadband story. Households and businesses in Connah’s Quay, switching to super-fast broadband, will soon be experiencing the internet as they have never experienced it before.

“The advent of BT fibre-based broadband in the town will support local jobs and the local economy and is a vital part of BT’s broadband plans for Wales.

“As our roll-out of super-fast, fibre-based broadband gathers pace, many more customers in other parts of the country can look forward to faster speeds in the pipeline.

“We are very open to holding discussions with public sector organisations, such as the Welsh Assembly Government and local councils, to explore ways of bringing super-fast, fibre-based broadband to locations where the economics are more challenging.”