Quickline, an altnet provider, has secured an additional £11 million in public funding to expand its Project Gigabit broadband rollout in Yorkshire. This expansion will extend full fibre connectivity to 6,000 more homes and businesses across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, especially in hard-to-reach areas. The initiative is part of the UK government’s plan, ensuring even remote regions gain access to high-speed internet.
Quickline’s continued efforts mean its broadband network in West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, and East Riding of Yorkshire will expand significantly. With this latest phase, public investment in Quickline’s full fibre network now exceeds £300 million. The network now extends to over 170,000 premises. This influx of funds will allow Quickline to broaden its reach, bringing reliable high-speed internet to more rural areas on a weekly basis.
Dan Hague, Project Delivery Director for Quickline, highlighted the importance of connecting underserved areas. He stated, “This is great news for people in underserved areas across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. By refining our plans with more recent data, we can extend our reach and connect even more homes and businesses to full fibre broadband where it’s needed most.”
Telecoms Minister Sir Chris Bryant emphasized the broader goals of Project Gigabit: “Project Gigabit is boosting some of the most remote areas in the UK and equipping people with the vital tools they need to thrive in the digital world, no matter where they choose to call home.” Such initiatives ensure that even more homes and businesses in Yorkshire and East Riding of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire will benefit from the fastest broadband speeds available.
This initiative falls under the broader UK government’s £5 billion scheme aimed at expanding broadband access to rural areas, where private sector infrastructure deployment might not be economically feasible. Currently, over 30 Project Gigabit contracts have been awarded, channeling around £2.6 billion of the total £5 billion fund. The government’s target is ambitious, aiming to provide gigabit-capable broadband to at least 85% of UK premises by 2025, with a goal of reaching approximately 99% by 2030.
