The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has announced that the government is boosting broadband speeds across rural communities, to ensure that the digital divide can be reduced.
Through £800 million of government investment, broadband infrastructure across rural areas of England, Scotland and Wales will be modernised to give homes and businesses access to Gigabit-capable broadband. This will benefit around 312,000 homes and businesses, with the new programme of investment benefitting Wales for the first time and continuing the government’s drive to improve productivity and accelerate economic growth.
Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, 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.
“Today marks a significant milestone in delivering on our promise to redouble our efforts to achieve full gigabit coverage by 2030 and lay the foundations for a more inclusive, dynamic and prosperous future for all citizens.”
As well as improving productivity across some of the most remote areas of the country, learning opportunities for young people will be improved as those who live and go to school in rural communities will be able to access better online resources and remote learning platforms. Healthcare patients will also benefit from the ability to rely more on remote consultations with doctors, which supports the government’s aim of improving public services.
Minister for Digital Infrastructure, Chris Bryant, added:
“Far too many rural citizens and businesses are still stuck with outdated internet infrastructure, not being able to fulfil day-to-day tasks as easily as people living in our towns and cities.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.”
Image credit: iStock
