COMMUNICATIONS giant BT has claimed its activities have generated £81m for the Oxfordshire economy in the past year.

The firm employs 638 staff in the county and spends a total of £2.52bn with suppliers in Oxfordshire and across the South-East.

John Weaver, BT’s South-East regional director, said: “BT and its employees make a major contribution to the Oxfordshire economy.

“They are a key part of its prosperity and economic well-being. “BT is at the centre of every community and our day-to-day work benefits every local authority area right across the UK.”

He added: “BT’s role in Oxfordshire and the South-East region as a whole is more significant than these figures suggest.

“In addition to the activities analysed in this comprehensive report, we are creating a high-speed fibre broadband network which will be essential to the future success of local businesses and households.”

Last August, Oxfordshire County Council revealed BT had been chosen to deliver its £25m so-called better broadband project.

The scheme, which will receive £14m of public money and £11m of investment from BT, will aim to have a minimum speed of 24 mbps available to 90 per cent of local businesses and homes by the end of 2015, and a minimum of 2mbps to the remaining 10 per cent.

The scheme will be rolled out gradually to 67,000 homes and businesses, almost entirely in rural areas, between now and December 2015.