Gigabit Broadband Boost for Rural Schools

Hundreds of rural schools have been hooked up to hyperfast gigabit broadband - thanks to investment boost from the Government.

10:33 15 October 2021

Funding boost from the Government will make hyperfast gigabit broadband available to more than a thousand schools in rural areas across the country. 

 

The move is part of a larger scheme that aims to provide teachers and pupils access to reliable and fast broadband connections. Schools that currently cannot access speeds of 100 megabits per second and are not in line to receive an upgrade from commercial broadband providers will be prioritised. 

 

The scheme will initially cover rural schools in the Highlands and Dumfries, North Yorkshire, Norfolk, Wolverhampton, and Galloway. There are also plans to introduce full fibre broadband to around 6,800 public buildings, including fire stations, GP surgeries, hospitals, libraries, museums and leisure centres. 

 

Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries said: “We are levelling up pupils’ and teachers’ access to the fastest future-proofed broadband, giving hundreds of schools better access to important learning opportunities, no matter where they live.

 

“The Government is on a mission to connect the country to next-generation networks. Today’s announcements will help harness the huge potential of 5G and future wireless networks such as 6G to supercharge our plan to build back better.”

 

Schools minister Baroness Barran said: “It is great to see schools being prioritised for these transformational broadband connections, which alongside our £30 million pilot programme to install the latest wifi infrastructure in schools, will help bring out the full potential of technology in our classrooms.”