Government to invest £800m in rural broadband rollout

The UK government has announced a major initiative to upgrade broadband infrastructure in rural areas across Great Britain.

The £800m investment aims to provide gigabit-capable broadband to around 312,000 rural homes and businesses that have long struggled with outdated internet connections.

Initial contracts worth £288m have already been signed to connect nearly 100,000 rural homes and businesses in England and, for the first time, Wales, with further contracts under discussion to extend coverage to over 200,000 more.

See also: Improved broadband access coming to 100,000 rural homes

The new Labour government says the plan is a significant step in closing the digital divide between urban and rural areas, enabling better access to essential online services, enhancing productivity, and supporting economic growth.

Remote regions including the South Wales Valleys, Exmoor National Park, and the Forest of Bowland, where poor digital infrastructure has hindered farmers’ and rural dwellers’ ability to perform basic online tasks, are among those set to benefit.

The project, a collaboration with telecom provider Openreach, is a key component of Project Gigabit, which targets areas that are too costly for commercial providers to serve.

Project Gigabit is part of a £5bn funding commitment for gigabit broadband in hard-to-reach areas, which was launched by the previous Conservative government in March 2021.

Conservative shadow science secretary Andrew Griffith said: “Over 80% of Britain now has access to the very fastest internet thanks to the last Conservative government’s £5bn investment in Project Gigabit, making it easier for millions of families to work and play online.”