Gigabit Broadband Rural Areas 2025-01-08
2025-01-08
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Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
The MP noted villages in his constituency, such as Cannington and Nether Stowey, have less than 10% household access to gigabit broadband with extremely slow download speeds. These areas face significant barriers to the roll-out of faster internet.
In some villages in my constituency such as Cannington and Nether Stowey, fewer than 10% of households have access to gigabit broadband, and download speeds are among the slowest in the country. Will he advise how his Department will ensure that, under the new contract, Openreach fulfils its obligations and my constituents get that faster broadband?
Only this week, we announced a £289 million contract that will deliver gigabit-capable broadband to 131,000 difficult-to-reach premises across England and Wales. We are determined to make sure that in every part of the country, including in the hon. Member’s constituency, we reach all those places. I commend the hon. Member for his persistence; he is quite right about villages where there is no proper gigabit-capable internet available. I am determined to deal with that and happy to meet him.
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