What has been described as lightning-fast broadband will be delivered to tens of thousands of homes and businesses in Berkshire following the signing of a £58 million contract under the government’s national Project Gigabit rollout.
Independent broadband provider Cityfibre will deliver top-of-the-range full fibre connections to around 34,000 rural premises in the county, as well as in Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire which, without government intervention, would have missed out on the industry’s rollout of faster, more reliable ‘gigabit-capable’ broadband.
Full fibre is capable of delivering speeds of up to 1,000 megabits (or one gigabit) per second – up to 30 times faster than super fast connections which rely on traditional copper cables. Gigabit speeds mean households can download a high-definition film in under one minute, stream and download entertainment and shop online across several different devices at once.
The upgrades will help grow the economy and create jobs by making it easier to set up a business, and mean rural communities will have access to networks designed to meet people’s needs for decades to come as the demand for fast connections continues to rise.
Rural communities across the counties will benefit, including those in or surrounding Wokingham.
Now the contract has been signed, Cityfibre will begin detailed surveying work with spades expected to enter the ground from this summer.
The contract is one of several announced today as part of a £453 million commitment to delivering next-generation broadband to around 236,000 hard-to-reach homes and businesses across England.
More than £1 billion in contracts have now been awarded through Project Gigabit to connect around 677,000 homes and businesses, with tens of millions of pounds worth of additional contracts to be awarded across the country in the coming weeks.
The UK is building gigabit networks faster than any country in the EU, thanks in part to government measures to stimulate competition and bust barriers to rollout. Last month the government announced that gigabit coverage had reached 80% of the UK, up from just 6% in 2019, and the UK is on track to achieve 85 per cent by 2025.
As a result of this investment, CityFibre has committed to offer 40 apprenticeships – a minimum of eight per year – across the UK in telecoms and highways maintenance for the duration of the contract, giving young people the chance to develop vital new skills and build a rewarding career.
It comes as the country marks National Apprenticeship Week, a government-led campaign celebrating the impact apprentices make to communities, businesses, and the wider economy.
The rollout of Project Gigabit is overseen by Building Digital UK (BDUK) – an executive agency of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).
Data and digital infrastructure minister Julia Lopez said: “Everyone should have access to fast, reliable broadband, no matter where they live. That’s why we’re investing millions to move hard-to-reach rural premises to the digital fast lane.
“Our gigabit connections will improve the lives of local residents, make it easier to start up a business and support our mission to grow the economy.”
CityFibre CEO Greg Mesch added: “We’re thrilled CityFibre has been selected to deliver government’s Project Gigabit programme in Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Berkshire, bringing the benefits of full fibre connectivity to thousands of hard-to-reach homes and businesses that have so far been left behind.
Nigel Lynn, chief executive of West Berkshire County Council, said: “This announcement shows how Berkshire is working to connect the whole region, and bring residents and businesses an essential service to help them be ready for the future.”
