Project Gigabit contracts up for grabs

The government is calling on broadband companies to submit bids to connect approximately 190,000 hard-to-reach premises in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cornwall as part of Project Gigabit.

The update provides details on gigabit-capable broadband coverage across the devolved nations and regions, in urban and rural areas, by supplier, and by residential and commercial premises.

The update confirms there are now ​​contracts worth £543 million in total for telecoms firms to bid for. This is expected to connect up to 380,000 hard-to-reach homes and businesses.

Work is set to begin in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cornwall from January 2023. More gigabit contracts will be released throughout the coming months, with Devon, Somerset, West and North Yorkshire all set to launch over the next year.

Project Gigabit is the government’s flagship £5 billion programme to connect hard-to-reach communities unlikely to be connected through commercial rollout.

On top of the new procurements launched, the progress update on Project Gigabit reveals that over 100,000 vouchers worth more than £185 million have now been issued to ensure rural areas can access the same lightning-fast broadband available in more urban areas.

The Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS) is an initiative under Project Gigabit offering rural homes and businesses up to £1,500 or £3,500 towards the cost of a gigabit-capable broadband connection. The value can be much higher in many areas thanks to top-up funding from local authorities.