Tens of thousands of people in rural Cambridgeshire will enjoy access to lightning-fast broadband after a major contract was signed to upgrade the county’s network as part of Project Gigabit – the government’s £5 billion rollout to hard-to-reach areas.
Around 45,000 premises across the county and surrounding areas are in line for gigabit-capable full fibre connections – capable of speeds more than 30x faster than superfast broadband – thanks to a £69 million contract under Project Gigabit. The contract, one of the largest to date, will unlock a further £53 million commercial investment from CityFibre, the UK’s largest independent full fibre provider, to expand their network.
“Thanks to our record-breaking rollout Project Gigabit, rural homes and businesses across Cambridgeshire can be confident they won’t be left behind in the upgrade to top-of-the-range gigabit broadband,” said Julia Lopez, Digital Infrastructure Minister, UK Government. “This landmark deal with CityFibre will help deliver the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy by ensuring the county’s pioneering science and tech industries can unleash their full potential with lightning-quick connectivity, whether in the city or the countryside.”
Project Gigabit is the biggest broadband rollout in British history, backed with up to £5 billion to deliver faster connections to hard-to-reach areas that would otherwise have missed out. Gigabit-capable networks are fast and fit for the future, allowing users to work, stream and scroll online without the battle for bandwidth or disruption often experienced with ageing networks.
Detailed planning in Cambridgeshire has already begun and the first Project Gigabit connections are expected in early 2024.
As part of its private investment, CityFibre has committed an additional £300,000 local stimulus package to create local jobs and provide training – including construction and engineering internships for disadvantaged groups such as armed forces leavers, people with disabilities and those affected by COVID.
The package will also provide free connectivity to 50 local charities and social enterprises and help those who have trouble using digital technology – often due to the cost or a lack of skills – by increasing their access to digital skills training and equipment.
Aided by government policies to encourage and drive investment in broadband rollout, CityFibre already has extensive coverage in Cambridgeshire where it has so far committed more than £100 million of investment completing rollouts in Peterborough and March.
The announcement follows more than £160 million worth of contracts already signed in locations right across England, including Cumbria, Teesdale, Northumberland, Dorset and Cornwall. More than 73% of the UK can access gigabit-capable connections, a huge rise on three years ago when coverage stood at just 6%.
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