A £440m pledge to help up to 600,000 extra homes and businesses get superfast broadband under the Government’s rollout scheme has been announced.
Funding has been unlocked to give more properties in the hardest-to-reach parts of the UK the quick and reliable internet connections which are a vital part of modern life.
The cash boost is a combination of efficiency savings and a clawback mechanism which re-invests money when people take up superfast connections installed by the Broadband Delivery UK project.
New figures show around 1.5 million homes and businesses have now taken advantage and signed up for superfast connections in areas where Government has subsidised rollout.
As a result, BT will be releasing £292m for extra connections – with £133m already allocated to be spent in regions around the UK.
Careful contract management by the Government, local authorities and BT has also saved more than £150m across 44 projects as the first phase of rollout draws to a close.
It means a total of £442m can now be reinvested in taking superfast speeds to some of the most remote parts of the country.
Culture Secretary Karen Bradley said: “Our Broadband Delivery UK programme is giving families and businesses in hard-to-reach areas the fast and reliable internet connections which are increasingly at the heart of modern life.
“Strong take-up and robust value-for-money measures mean £440m will be available for reinvestment where it matters – putting more connections in the ground.
“This will benefit around 600,000 extra premises and is a further sign of our commitment to build a country that works for everyone.”
Related reading
New boost for Scotland’s digital tech sector
The second phase of CivTech, the Scottish Government-run accelerator programme, has been launched
London councils considering ‘Office Of Technology And Innovation’
A collection of London councils and the Greater London Authority have announced plans to set up a centralised body to coordinate technology projects and reduce duplication
Derby City Council launches digital discretionary award tool
It’s hoped the new tool will encourage residents to apply for discretionary awards to deal with financial crises online
Kent gets funding for ‘digital playgrounds’
Money will enable Kent Council to use innovation and technology to help children learn and develop their digital skills
