More than 300,000 UK rural areas to get broadband boost

Fixed-line wholesaler Openreach will be delivering on this project, having signed contracts valued at around £280 million to connect around 96,000 homes and businesses. More conversations are also ongoing with the company to sign further contracts with the government for another 215,800 premises across the UK.

Commenting on the deal signed, Clive Selley, CEO of Openreach said “Research shows that full fibre provides a host of economic, social and environmental benefits – and I believe we’re the best in the business at delivering it.”

The areas benefitting from this investment are those currently considered 'struggling to fulfil basic online tasks' such as streaming and video calling or downloading large files. This is particularly challenging for rural areas across Scotland and Wales. These areas are typically considered commercially unviable for telcos to cover and thus government funding is desperately needed to bridge the digital divide.

“Millions across the country still struggle to access basic online services due to poor connectivity, especially in rural regions, so it’s excellent to see the government’s renewed push to roll out improved broadband,” said Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance.

“Connectivity must be viewed as a core part of modern life in the digital age, on a par with essential utilities such as energy, and continued investment such as this project is needed to ensure millions aren’t left digitally excluded. With many essential services increasingly moving online, suitable connectivity is vital for tasks many of us take for granted, such as remote education and online healthcare, so the government and wider society cannot stop until this is addressed.”

It is also worth highlighting here that for the first time a UK government Project Gigabit contract has finally included Wales. This translates to around £170 million to deliver the goals for 70,000 Welsh homes and businesses. Wales is considered the region in the UK with the lowest percentage for gigabit coverage, yet to date the region had not benefitted from the promised £5 billion investments under Project Gigabit by the previous government.

“We have been clear we want to achieve sustained economic growth in every corner of Britain, and this starts by ensuring our communities have the infrastructure they need to thrive” said Chris Bryant, Minister for Digital Infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens said “At the moment we have too many people, especially in the more remote areas of Wales who can’t properly access the online world, and I’m pleased that thanks to this substantial investment from the UK Government work, on fixing that is starting now.”

Further, Trinity House, a charity that safeguards lighthouses and maritime navigation aids in England and Wales will also benefit from this investment. “As an organisation that works in remote parts of the nation, we applaud this rollout by Openreach and Government” said the CEO Rear Admiral Iain Lower. “This rollout will, among other things, help our operational teams work, connect and live better at our remote lighthouses, an invaluable improvement for when they are away from their homes and families.

But what is perhaps also of crucial significance to the debate on closing the digital divide is, as also highlighted by Anderson, that beyond availability, the affordability of high-speed connections and that monthly costs should not be “out of reach as the cost of living crisis continues”.