"Improving access to broadband is going to help Suffolk's economy grow by as much as and create up to 5000 new jobs. There's a digital divide between Suffolk and the rest of the country but an even more acute disparity between urban and rural Suffolk," said Councillor Mark Bee, Suffolk County Council's leader and chair of the Better Broadband for Suffolk programme.

He added: "The Better Broadband programme is going to close those gaps, boost school attainment and help the public sector to deliver services more efficiently and cheaply.

"Since I became leader of the county council, I have been determined to get Suffolk's broadband aspirations back on track."

A contract between Suffolk County Council and BT is expected to be finalised by mid-October 2012 and to be formally awarded by the end of October.

The UK government has said that it hopes to have the best broadband network in Europe by 2015, and has committed a minimum of £730 million up until 2015 to support the rollout.