The South West of England has faced the same economic challenges as many other regions over the last two years - the impact of the pandemic, high inflation and rising energy prices have led to cost of living pressures and uncertainty for many households and businesses.

Like every business, BT Group has been hit by the same challenges, but has maintained its major investment in full fibre broadband and mobile connectivity across the South West, and other parts of the UK, writes Nick Speed, Head of Nations & Regions, Policy and Public Affairs, BT Group

North Somerset Times:

We believe this once-in-a-generation investment in digital infrastructure will give regions like this the future-proofed connectivity it will need to stay ahead and grow in the decades to come.

We know that the big innovations and growth sectors of the future – like self-driving cars and 5G-enabled robotic factories – are going to depend on reliable, high speed connectivity.

BT Group, via its digital network business Openreach, has now reached more than 10 million premises across the UK with full fibre broadband, and our 5G mobile network now reaches nearly 70% of the UK population.

According to independent research published recently, BT Group employed around 8,000 people across the South West of England in the last financial year (2021/22) and spent around £700m with suppliers based in the region.

The knock-on impact of the spend of BT Group employees, and payment to suppliers in the region, results in an estimated boost of nearly £2 billion to the local economy.

BT Group is also transforming and modernising the way it works, including developing new and refurbished offices and workspaces.

This year, we opened our new flagship regional office hub at Bristol Assembly for 2,500 colleagues.

The brand new 13-storey waterfront office, close to Bristol Temple Meads station, is now one of the company’s key hubs in the UK and home to specialist and skilled roles from across BT Group, including EE, BT Business and Openreach.

Bristol is one of the UK’s leading cities for innovation and technology, so it was a natural choice for us to locate one of our flagship UK offices here, where we’re actively recruiting hundreds of new colleagues.

New offices like this are about bringing colleagues together in brilliant spaces that will enable collaboration, help us attract and retain the best people and help us to better serve our customers.

Despite the challenges, BT Group is in a unique position, as the UK's lead investor in connectivity, to help drive economic growth and power the South West economy of the future.