Project Gigabit progress and delays

[g67575]

Of the areas still not covered by a FTTP or a gigabit type of connection, Project Gigabit is intended to fill in the gaps in coverage, where companies have not yet been able to cover due to various constraints (mostly financial). Project Gigabit began in March 2021, after previous announcements around the time of the 2019 general election.

The estimated contract award date for my area (Lot 24) has now passed. Unfortunately, most UK regions are still in the procurement and planning stages, and have not yet been awarded contracts by the government. Regions such as Norfolk, Suffolk and Hampshire have recently been awarded contracts (on 28/06/2023).

As of September 2023, the project has covered a total of 376,400 premises. Currently, just £590.6 million out of a total 5 billion pounds has been allocated to contracts.

You can see current progress here, as reported in September 2023:

Full list of awarded contracts is here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/project-gigabit-contracts

More detailed information can be found here:

Project Gigabit progress update September 2023

www.gov.uk

 

[WJA96]

I don’t know about anywhere else but Norfolk is pretty well served for Gigabit already. Most of Norfolk has access to Upp, Lightspeed, County (City Fibre) symmetrical broadband and the Openreach asymmetric service. Yes, there are loads of smaller places still to be cabled up, but the general availability and uptake are both strong. I’ve been working in Wiltshire for the last few months and there’s nothing like the coverage available in Norfolk.

 

[g67575]

Has anyone on here had a connection installed (or will have) as a result of a Project Gigabit contract?

And if so, how is that working out for your street /area?

From what I've heard, the eligibility requirements are quite strict for an area/ street to qualify. There needs to be no commercial suppliers / ISPs planning to rollout a gigabit capable connection in your area within 3 years, in order for a property to qualify for funding from Project Gigabit. I don't know how strictly this rule is currently being applied.

 

[g67575]

Just thought I’d post an update on the Lot 24/ Worcestershire contract.

It’s now being included in a different, wider cross-regional contract:

312,000 rural homes and businesses  to get access to faster broadband in overhaul of old infrastructure

Hundreds of thousands of rural homes and businesses will receive major internet speed upgrades, as the UK Government fixes the digital divide and powers up all regions of Britain.

www.gov.uk

This was announced after the general election, so it looks like a new deal will be done with Openreach to cover some wider areas. It looks like it will finally be getting signed off later this year.

 

[g67575]

Another Project Gigabit update here:

November 2024 BDUK Update on UK Project Gigabit Broadband Rollout

The Government's Building Digital UK agency has published its latest quarterly November 2024 progress update on the £5bn Project Gigabit broadband rollout sch

www.ispreview.co.uk

The Worcestershire contract is due to be signed in January 2025. I will hold them to that!

Although, there's a good chance Nexfibre will have FTTP connections in my street RFS by Jan 2025.

Contracts for:

• North Wales, South West Wales, North Somerset
• Mid Devon, South Devon, North Somerset
• Essex, North East England
• South Scotland – Borders, East Lothian

also due to be signed in Jan 2025.

Contracts for:

• Dundee, Aberdeenshire & Moray Coast
• Northern Ireland

due later in 2025.

 

[g67575]

The Project Gigabit contract for Worcestershire has just been signed, as part of a wider deal for Openreach to cover the Cross Regional Type C contracts (totalling £800 million):

BT Win Four More UK Project Gigabit Broadband Rollout Contracts Worth £289m

The UK government has today confirmed the expected news that BT Group (Openreach) have been formally awarded several new Type C (Cross-Regional) Project Gigabit

www.ispreview.co.uk

In the end, it has come around the same time as Virgin Media / Nexfibre FTTP connection has become RFS where I live, but at least the surrounding areas will benefit from the investment.