Roll out plans released today confirm that two million rural homes and businesses are set to benefit from the Government's £5bn broadband upgrade.
The Government’s Project Gigabit fund is designed to upgrade digital infrastructure in hard-to-reach areas and the Government has revealed its intent for 1,850,000 premises across 26 English counties to get access to gigabit speed Internet of 1,000 megabits per second.
It brings the current total number of premises in scope for Government-funded coverage to 2.2 million, with more to be announced over the coming months across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
This is in addition to the tens of millions of premises that broadband firms are connecting through their commercial roll out.
The Government said on track for the fastest roll out in Europe this year and for 60 per cent of all households to have access to gigabit speeds by the end of this year.
The government is also on track to hit its target of achieving at least 85% gigabit-capable UK coverage by 2025, and ministers are ready to go as fast as broadband companies can manage.
Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden (pictured opening Comms Vision in 2018) said: "Project Gigabit is our national mission to level up rural areas by giving them the fastest internet speeds on the market.
"Millions more rural homes and businesses will now be lifted out of the digital slow lane thanks to our mammoth £5bn investment and one the quickest rollouts in Europe.
"This broadband revolution will create jobs, power up businesses and allow everyone to access vital services at lightning fast speed, helping us build back better from the pandemic."
It was also confirmed that the Scottish and Welsh Governments and 15 English councils have made at least an extra £26m available in top-ups to the UK Government’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme.
The scheme, which is available nationwide, covers the costs of a gigabit connection in areas that are particularly difficult to reach, and the top-ups boost the financial help available.