Rural Broadband Scheme

Rural Gigabit Connectivity Programme accepts new application for its remaining £200m funding.

04:52 21 May 2020

£200million funding is being offered by the Rural Gigabit Connectivity programme to rural areas that do not have access to a high-speed internet connection. The scheme is open for new applications until March 31, 2021, or until the funding runs out. 

 

To date, 421 small and medium-sized businesses across Cambridgeshire have applied for the vouchers. A total of £668,000 has gone towards the cost of installing gigabit-capable broadband which can handle speeds of 1,000 Megabits per second. 

 

Rural premises without access to at least 100Megabits per second qualify for the programme. They are encouraged to pool the vouchers worth up to £3,500 for each SME and £1,500 per residential premise to support the cost of increasing their broadband speeds. 

 

The scheme is offered by the Government "as an incentive to SMEs and homeowners to upgrade their broadband connection, at little or no cost, for installation of faster, more reliable service."