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The contract is Wessex Internet’s third Project Gigabit award
Wessex Internet has secured a significant £18 million government-funded contract to extend broadband services across South Wiltshire. This initiative, part of the broader Project Gigabit aimed at enhancing digital connectivity in underserved areas, will benefit approximately 14,500 homes and businesses in rural regions.
Under the contract, Wessex Internet will expand its network coverage in South Wiltshire, particularly in areas like the Wylye Valley, Salisbury Plain, and surrounding villages such as Amesbury, Chisbury, and Little Bedwyn. The investment will facilitate the deployment of full fibre connections (FTTP), ensuring high-speed connectivity directly to properties.
The project is expected to commence in September 2024, with construction scheduled to begin then. The first properties are anticipated to be connected by the end of the year. Both Data and Digital Infrastructure Minister Julia Lopez and Hector Gibson Fleming, CEO of Wessex Internet, have highlighted the importance of this initiative in bridging the digital gap and providing essential services to rural communities.
Wessex Internet has already made strides in delivering gigabit-capable broadband to rural areas, having served around 17,500 properties in North Dorset and the New Forest through previous Project Gigabit funding. With its operational base near the Wiltshire border in North Dorset, Wessex Internet is well-positioned to cater to the region’s connectivity needs.
“We are delighted that a contract has been awarded to deliver next-generation broadband to thousands of homes and businesses in South Wiltshire,” said Councillor Ashley O’Neill, Cabinet Member for Broadband at Wiltshire Council.
“One of our key priorities is to have well-connected communities. As lightning-fast gigabit broadband connections have a profound benefit for local people and businesses, we look forward to working with Wessex Internet to achieve a successful rollout of this scheme and seeing the real difference it can make to people’s lives,” he continued.
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