South Gloucestershire, Surrey and West Berks to benefit from faster rural broadband

Hundreds of thousands of rural homes and businesses with outdated broadband infrastructure are to receive major internet speed upgrades.

Up to £800 million in government investment will be made available to modernise broadband infrastructure in rural areas of England, Scotland and Wales.

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

The 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. It 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.

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."

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

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 North Herefordshire, North Somerset and Worcestershire.   

Clive Selley, CEO of Openreach said: "I’m proud we’ve been chosen, through a fiercely competitive process, and we’re already cracking on with the job.

"Our network already reaches more than 15 million urban and rural premises and, wherever we build, we bring the widest choice of providers for customers. I’m confident we can reach as many as 30 million homes by the end of the decade if the conditions remain supportive."