Northumberland Broadband

Work on the Northumberland Gigabit Project, which will equip 271 public buildings, is underway.

10:52 13 July 2020

Councillor Nick Oliver has announced that the Northumberland Gigabit Project has officially begun. The announcement follows the council's approval of the £932,111 budget for the programme that will see 271 public buildings in rural Northumberland connected with fast, full-fibre broadband. 

 

The project is the result of the North of Tyne Combined Authority's successful bid to the Government's Local Fibre Networks Programme last year. The grant of up to £12million was only made available for those properties connected to full-fiber by the end of 2021 and the BT delivery plan 'clearly shows a small number of property connections won't be completed until March 31, 2022.'

 

The council has confirmed that £932,111 is 'the absolute limit of the authority's liability and if for any reason BT is unable to deliver a larger number of sites by December 31, 2021, the cost of these sites would not fall on the council.' 

 

The scheme forms part of a 'hub and spoke' model, with a council official stating: "Not everyone will benefit directly with full-fiber, but any work we can do will reduce the cost of pushing it out into those communities."