With a historic investment of £714 million in 2024 alone, the UK Government is accelerating the rollout of lightning-fast broadband, benefitting thousands of remote households and businesses.
This substantial investment brings the total funding for next-generation connectivity to £1.3 billion.
Published by Building Digital UK, the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology, and Julia Lopez MP on April 10, 2024, the latest figures demonstrate a remarkable stride towards enhancing rural broadband coverage. Nearly 380,000 homes and businesses, including those in regions like Devon and The Isles of Scilly, are poised to reap the rewards from contracts awarded this year alone.
Today's announcement also includes a fresh injection of £165 million to connect properties across England, spanning areas like Yorkshire and Cornwall. This commitment underscores the government's dedication to bridging the digital divide and ensuring equitable access to high-speed internet across the nation.
The significant upgrades will empower rural communities with access to top-tier internet services, fostering economic growth and prosperity. With lightning-fast broadband, households will enjoy the ability to download high-definition films in under a minute, seamlessly stream entertainment, and conduct online transactions across multiple devices simultaneously. Furthermore, full fibre broadband will facilitate the establishment of businesses in rural areas, thereby boosting local productivity and paving the way for sustained economic development.
Notable regions set to benefit from these initiatives include Yorkshire, The Isles of Scilly, and Dorset, as part of the flagship £5 billion Project Gigabit program. This funding injection brings the total investment to £1.3 billion, marking a significant leap in broadband accessibility. Presently, nearly 82% of properties across the country have access to lightning-fast broadband, a stark improvement from just 7% five years ago.
The UK's steadfast commitment to deploying Gigabit broadband surpasses that of any other EU nation, ensuring universal access to high-speed internet in the 21st century. Minister for Data and Digital, Julia Lopez, emphasized the critical importance of connectivity in enabling daily activities and driving economic growth. She highlighted the rapid progress in delivering gigabit broadband to even the most remote rural areas, eliminating barriers to economic opportunities and enhancing quality of life.
As part of this year's investment, the UK Government has allocated £165 million to construct full fibre networks in regions such as South Yorkshire, Cornwall, and the Isles of Scilly, among others. These contracts will benefit almost 90,000 premises, offering speeds of up to 1,000 megabits per second, significantly faster than traditional superfast connections.
Thanks to UK Government investment, over one million rural homes, businesses, and public buildings have already been upgraded to gigabit-capable networks. These upgrades are particularly vital for hard-to-reach rural locations, where inadequate internet connectivity previously hindered basic online tasks.
Additionally, the Government has awarded contracts to connect up to 800 primary schools in England through Project Gigabit and the Department for Education's joint initiative. The Schools Gigabit Connectivity Project aims to provide students and educators with access to cutting-edge digital technology, enriching educational experiences.
The latest developments underscore the UK Government's unwavering commitment to enhancing broadband infrastructure, bridging the digital divide, and ensuring equitable access to high-speed internet services across the country. Photo by Elite Communication, Wikimedia commons.