The UK government recently allocated £289 million in Project Gigabit contracts to Openreach, marking a significant step towards bridging the digital divide in rural Britain. These contracts will help deploy high-speed broadband in remote areas such as the Dee Valley, Isle of Anglesey, and beyond, enhancing internet speeds and reliability for around 131,000 hard-to-reach homes and businesses.
Openreach will use the funding to establish fibre-to-the-home networks, ensuring residents in these regions gain equal opportunities in a digitized world. According to Technology Secretary Peter Kyle, this investment not only enhances connectivity but also facilitates remote healthcare access, online education, and e-commerce, promoting a more equitable society across the UK.
The latest win adds to Openreach’s previous contracts worth £800 million secured in August, aimed at covering 96,600 rural homes. Clive Selley, CEO of Openreach, mentioned, “Our Full Fibre network already reaches over half the UK, and we aim for 30 million premises by 2030. This investment ensures rural areas won’t be left behind.”
Currently, more than 85% of UK households can access gigabit-capable broadband. The government aspires to achieve full national coverage by 2030. Project Gigabit, since its inception in 2018, has seen an investment of over £2.2 billion through various contracts, engaging both large and independent broadband providers.
