COMMUNITIES in the Amman and Towy Valley's are set to get high speed fibre broadband by summer 2015 as part of the Superfast Cymru roll-out, the Welsh Government and BT have announced.

Ammanford, Llandeilo, Llandovery, Llandybie, Llangadog and Talley are set to benefit as a result of the announcement which also includes the start of work in 35 exchange areas earlier than originally anticipated.

Once the roll-out is finished in the areas confirmed, more than 500,000 homes and businesses the length and breadth of Wales will be able to access the technology during summer 2015.

They will join hundreds of communities in Wales which are already live or due to be switched on as part of Superfast Cymru between now and next year.

Superfast Cymru will help the Welsh Government achieve its overall aim of extending fibre broadband to 96 per cent of homes and businesses in Wales by the end of the project in spring 2016.

Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology Ken Skates said: “Superfast Cymru is one of the most ambitious programmes of its kind, bringing fast fibre broadband to areas which otherwise would not receive it. I am pleased to be able to announce the next phase of this programme, which shows how more and more communities are set to benefit including those in Carmarthenshire.

“By the time Superfast Cymru is completed in 2016 Wales will be one of the most connected countries in the world. It is a huge undertaking with 3,000 green roadside cabinets to be installed and around 17,500kms of optical fibre cable to be laid.

“The sheer scale of the programme means not everyone can receive it at the same time but this announcement shows how we are moving ahead toward our goal of providing 96 per cent of premises in Wales with access to superfast broadband.”

Ed Hunt, BT programme director for Superfast Cymru added: “We are making great progress, passing on average more than 5,000 premises a week with fibre broadband between now and the end of March 2015. Through this programme we expect to reach close to half a million premises by summer 2015 with a year still to go.

“ All exchanges in Wales are in scope of the programme and those not revealed in today’s announcement will be announced in due course.”

Households and businesses are not connected to fast fibre broadband automatically. Customers who want superfast speeds need to contact an internet service provider (ISP) to sign up to receive the technology.

For full details of the benefits of fast fibre broadband, how to register for updates on when it’s coming to an area and how to access it visit the Superfast Cymru website: www.superfast-cymru.com

At home, fibre broadband enables a family to simultaneously download a movie, watch a TV replay service, surf the internet and play games online all at the same time. A whole album can be downloaded in less than 30 seconds and a feature length HD movie in less than 10 minutes.

Detailed information about where and when communities will get fibre over the next 12 months has been published on superfast-cymru.com.

You can also keep in touch with the programme via social media on Twitter (@superfastcymru) or Facebook at www.facebook.com/superfast-cymru.