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Digital Region was a project in South Yorkshire set up to establish a high-speed broadband network in the region, with 98% coverage expected by the end of 2012. It is the first of its kind in the UK. The project was co-ordinated by ''Digital Region Ltd.'', owned by the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (having taken over the role from the now defunct Yorkshire Forward), and the four local authorities that encompass South Yorkshire, these are Sheffield City Council, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council and Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council.〔http://www.barnsley.gov.uk/digital-region-1〕 Thales Group was chosen to design, deliver and manage the project on behalf of ''Digital Region Ltd.''. On 15 August 2013, it was announced that the project would close, due to the ongoing financial issues it has been facing.〔http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/news/business/breaking-multimillion-south-yorkshire-digital-region-scheme-collapses-1-5956960〕〔http://www.digitalregion.co.uk/closure-of-digital-region-now-offers-best-deal-for-public-purse〕 == Funding == The hope of the project was that it would eventually become self-financing, however loans and grants were used to enable the project to start. The project received: * £44 million grant funding from Yorkshire Forward and the European Regional Development Fund. * £40 million loan funding from Yorkshire Forward and the 4 local authorities. * £10 million loan funding from the project technology partner, Thales Group.〔http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/your-city-council/policy--performance/digitalregion/what-is〕 Due to low takeup,〔http://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/5952-100-million-spent-on-broadband-network-to-serve-just-3-000-customers.html〕 the project suffered a very significant operating loss; not even taking into account the substantial interest payments due on loans for capital construction. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Digital Region」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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