Farms and rural businesses will receive major internet speed upgrade

Up to £800 million in government investment will be made available to modernise broadband infrastructure in rural areas of England, Scotland and Wales, ending the plight of buffering so farmers and people living in a countryside can fulfil everyday online tasks. 

The news has been warmly welcomed as streaming films, video calling, or downloading large files is currently particularly challenging in some areas of Wales and Scotland. 

The government said that this landmark deal with telecoms provider Openreach represents one of the biggest milestones in the rollout of Project Gigabit, which targets places too expensive for providers to reach in their commercial build and which would otherwise be left behind with poor digital infrastructure. 

Access to fastest connection on the market 

The deal will provide access to lightning-fast gigabit-capable broadband to around 312,000 homes and businesses across Great Britain.  

It is the first time Wales, the region with the lowest percentage of gigabit coverage, will benefit from this programme. 

It will mean residents and businesses in remote areas of Britain, such as the South Wales Valleys, Exmoor National Park and the Forest of Bowland will finally gain access to the fastest connection on the market. 

The governmnet said that the fund will help meet the growing demand for reliable connectivity, stimulating local rural economies and reducing regional disparities, by enabling remote working and attracting new businesses. 

The announcement follows this government’s vow to redouble its efforts to achieve full gigabit coverage by 2030 and harness the enormous potential of technology to grow the economy, accelerate innovation and improve people’s lives. 

Essential for growth, productivity and competitiveness 

Secretary of state for science, innovation and technology Peter Kyle said: “Over the past decade, the UK’s broadband rollout has clearly not happened fast enough and has overlooked too many areas, especially in Scotland and Wales.  

“Robust digital infrastructure is essential for growth, productivity and competitiveness, and this shortfall not only poses risks to our economic stability, but also entrenches existing inequalities across the country. 

“We are fixing this by delivering for hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses up and down the country, focusing on the areas that were not prioritised by the previous government, such as Wales.” 

The announcement also aims at improving learning opportunities for students, who will be able to gain better access to online resources and remote learning platforms, as well as healthcare patients, who will be able to further rely on remote consultations. 

Sustained economic growth in every corner of Britain 

Contracts worth £288 million have already been signed with Openreach under the agreement to connect approximately 96,600 homes and businesses in England and, for the first time, Wales.  

Areas to benefit include Lancashire, North Wiltshire, South Gloucestershire, West and Mid-Surrey, Staffordshire, West Berkshire and Hertfordshire, West and North Devon, and North West, Mid and South East Wales.  

The government added that talks are now underway with Openreach to agree further contracts to benefit around 215,800 more premises across England, Scotland and Wales, with more announcements expected in the coming months. 

Areas expected to benefit from these future contracts include Central and North Scotland, North and South West Wales, Mid and South Devon, East and South Shropshire, North Herefordshire, North Somerset, Essex, North East England and Worcestershire.    

Minister for digital infrastructure Chris Bryant added that far too many rural citizens and businesses are still stuck with outdated internet infrastructure, not being able to fulfil day-to-day tasks as easily as people living in our towns and cities. 

“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. 

“This monumental deal with Openreach will make a real difference to communities – such as staying in touch with loved ones or being able to do business no matter where you are,” he concluded. 

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