SUPER fast broadband is being brought to rural areas of the UK in a new £5billion scheme.
Project Gigabit will “level up” communities from Northumberland to Cornwall to provide lightning-fast connectivity. Here’s what we know about the scheme.
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What is Project Gigabit?
Gigabit wifi connection is ultra-fast connection that makes streaming videos, downloading large files, watching high definition and playing VR and other video games a breeze.
The government scheme is to get the fastest broadband speeds available for the rural parts of the UK and other communities without super fast connectivity.
Since 2020, only 9% of the country were reported to have access to gigabit broadband according to the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with that number now at beyond 60% and with the government hoping to bring gigabit the “most commercial” 80% of the country by 2025.
The former secretary for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Oliver Dowden said: “Project Gigabit is designed for today’s – and tomorrow’s – telecoms market: one that is rapidly changing, fast-paced and has a dynamic range of telecoms providers of all sizes.
“We are determined to take a pro-competition approach, with all suppliers able to play their part.
“Thorough local market reviews will shape the type, size and boundaries of each contract to maximise competition and ensure public money is targeted at places that would otherwise be left behind.”
How will gigabit broadband work?
Gigabit-capable internet means it downloads at speeds of at least 1 gigabit-per-second.
Most of the Gigabit Project has been funded commercially, with most companies having secured large investments for the project.
For the hardest to reach 20%, a public subsidy is being used for the installation.
Who will get gigabit broadband first?
The project began in 2021 when the areas in need the most of the connectivity boost were put first to have gigabit broadband installed.
The first phase will service more than a million households. Areas where the project has already begun are:
- Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Essex, Hertfordshire and Rutland
- Durham, South Tyneside & Tees Valley areas extending into Northumberland
- West of Cumbria, including the Lake District National Park
- North and West Northumberland and East Cumbria
As of February 2022, the areas where the project is about to begin are:
- West of Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
- East of Cornwall
- Norfolk
- Shropshire including Telford and Wrekin
- Suffolk
- Hampshire and Isle of Wight
From May 2022, the project will begin in a further 22 counties in the South and the Midlands.
