Penrith and The Border MP and connectivity campaigner, Dr Neil Hudson, welcomed that work has already started to connect tens of thousands of people living and working in rural Cumbria to lightning-fast broadband thanks to more than £100 million of Conservative Government investment.
Around 60,000 rural premises are set to benefit from speedy and reliable internet access, which is being delivered by Belfast-based contractor, Fibrus. From Grasmere to Gilsland and Buttermere to Beckermet hard to reach homes are set to be upgraded - including those in highly remote Lake District areas who are the focus of an innovative pilot scheme to connect people to the internet via satellite.
The Cumbrian project launch was announced by Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Michelle Donelan. Installation work is already underway in the region, with the first gigabit connections expected by the spring.
This is the biggest contract to be singed yet under the Government's Project Gigabit programme. Gigabit-capable networks are fast and fit for the future, allowing users to work, stream and scroll online without the battle for bandwidth or disruption often experienced with ageing networks.
In a huge boost for jobs and skills for Cumbria, Fibrus has committed to creating at least 90 apprenticeships following the government investment. These will cover a range of roles, from underground and overhead cabling to surveying, and Fibrus has also committed to establish an apprentice training academy at Newton Rigg near Penrith.
It comes as the government brings broadband delivered via satellite for the first time to the Lake District, which will see a mountain rescue base in Wasdale Head connected to faster, more reliable connections than currently available due to its highly remote location. The project is part of a wider trial announced today to test the reliability of satellite technology to bring high-speed connections to the most hard-to-reach parts of the UK.
Dr Hudson welcomed this big win for the people of Cumbria who have long been hamstrung by poor internet connectivity. The Cumbrian MP has long championed better connectivity in Parliament, as recently as last week where he made a wide-ranging speech during a debate on Levelling Up rural Britain stressing that Cumbria is not the same as London.
Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, said:
" I'm so excited about all the opportunities this rollout of fast and reliable broadband will unlock - from boosting rural businesses to staving off the effects of rural isolation, the benefits will no-doubt be countless.
"I've made improving rural connectivity a cornerstone of my campaigning down in Westminster so I'm over the moon that our Conservative Government has listened to my calls and work is underway to futureproof rural Cumbria.
"Although this is great news for me and my fellow Cumbrians, a holistic approach to connectivity is still needed to level up our rural Cumbrian communities for good. With inadequate public transport and poor phone signal still thorns in our side, I will keep fighting for better physical and digital connectivity so people's lives and livelihoods can flourish moving forward."
Michelle Donelan, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), added:
“We’re steaming ahead with our plan to level up internet speeds across Cumbria, which will see the biggest investment to date from the government’s Project Gigabit - the biggest broadband roll out in British history.
“Tens of thousands of rural homes and businesses will be able to plug into faster connections in the new network, allowing Cumbrian communities to take full advantage of the endless benefits lightning-fast broadband has to offer.”
Dominic Kearns, CEO of Fibrus, said:
“Fibrus considers it a privilege to deliver a transformative project for Cumbria which will change the lives of people living in rural and regional areas. Fibrus is committed to supporting local communities, ensuring any work undertaken in our name supports apprenticeships and allows more people to reap the benefits of full fibre.
“This win helps us further our mission and commitment to bring fast, reliable and affordable broadband to all.”
In a further broadband boost for rural areas in Cumbria and the rest of the UK, the government will triple the value of vouchers available under the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme.
From early next year, eligible homes and businesses will be able to apply for up to £4,500 to cover the costs of a gigabit-capable connection, up from £1,500 for homes and £3,500 for businesses previously, which will enable broadband providers to reach further into rural areas where the build costs are higher.
While the vast majority of rural premises in Cumbria are now in line for a gigabit broadband upgrade, the boost to vouchers is designed to help suppliers reach more premises outside the scope of the Project Gigabit contract or suppliers’ commercial build plans.
Today’s announcement follows millions of pounds worth of contracts signed in Northumberland and Teesdale recently, boosting broadband to level up the north of England.
More than 72 per cent of the UK can access gigabit connections - such as full fibre - thanks to the government’s plan to drive investment in rollout and bust the barriers holding back the industry from doing so at full pace.
The investment will also directly support small businesses in rural areas across the county, just in time for Small Business Saturday, which shines a light on the 5.5 million small businesses registered in the UK.