Major broadband upgrade in Notts set to benefit thousands of rural homes and businesses

Major broadband upgrade in Notts will benefit thousands of rural homes and businesses

Ultra-fast broadband will be delivered to tens of thousands of homes and businesses across Nottinghamshire and West Lincolnshire after a £58 million contract was signed as part of the government's national launch of Project Gigabit.

UK-based digital and smart technology provider Connexin will offer high-end full fiber connections to around 34,000 rural premises in counties that, without government intervention, would have missed out on 'gigabit' industry rollout. 'faster and more reliable. "compatible" broadband.

The improvements will help grow the economy and create jobs by making it easier to start a business, and will mean that Nottinghamshire's rural communities - including those around Kirkby in Ashfield, Sutton-in-Ashfield and Annesley - will have access to networks designed to satisfy people's needs. needs in the coming decades as demand for fast connections continues to increase.

Full fiber is capable of delivering speeds of up to 1,000 megabits (or one gigabit) per second, up to 30 times faster than ultra-fast connections that rely on traditional copper cables. Gigabit speeds mean households can download a high-definition movie in less than a minute, stream and download entertainment, and shop online on several different devices at once.

Once the contract has been signed, Connexin has started planning and design work to allow the first facilities to be connected to the grid in early 2025.

The launch of Project Gigabit is overseen by Building Digital UK (BDUK), an executive agency of the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

The Minister of Data and Digital Infrastructure, Julia López, said:

“Thousands of people in Nottinghamshire and West Lincolnshire will benefit from connectivity fit for the future, thanks to the government’s Project Gigabit. “We are making strides to connect communities in hard-to-reach areas across the country, and this latest investment will bring us one step closer to our digital transformation, opening up great opportunities in rural areas.”

Councilor Keith Girling, cabinet member for economic development at Nottinghamshire County Council, said:

“We are delighted that this investment will provide access to faster and more reliable broadband services for many of our rural communities, helping them with their daily lives, particularly those who work from home or need online access to essential services.

“Being better connected boosts our economy and helps make Nottinghamshire an even more attractive place to live, work and invest.

Furqan Alamgir, CEO of Connexin, said:

“By awarding this contract, we are delighted to be able to play our part in the UK Government’s mission to improve and bring gigabit connectivity to our rural communities.

“At Connexin our mission is not only to connect people, but also how that connectivity can improve lives. We believe that everyone is entitled to the same opportunities and we firmly believe in digital inclusion and what it can unlock.

“We look forward to working with BDUK to future-proof the infrastructure and bring superfast broadband to the region.”