Announcing The Rural Gigabit Voucher

As part of the Government’s Rural Gigabit Connectivity programme business and residents in some of the hardest-to-reach places in the UK are eligible for additional funding towards the cost of installing gigabit-capable broadband to their premises when part of a group project.

Rural premises, experiencing speeds below 30 Megabits per second (Mbps), will be eligible for between £500 and £3,500 per small and medium-sized businesses (SME) and between £500 and £1,500 per resident to support the cost of installing new gigabit-capable connections. gigabitvoucher.culture.gov.uk/rural

Full details can be found in version 5.0 of the scheme’s Terms and Conditions and version 5.0 of the Local Body Guidance document, both of which are available in the Local Body Library gigabitvoucher.culture.gov.uk/lbl/ (password is Gigabit18).

The following summarises how the extension will work:

·         Rural areas are identified by postcode in all parts of the UK

 

·         Vouchers can only be used in group or project schemes

 

·         Resident only projects are permitted

 

·         Connections must be gigabit capable but the minimum speed taken by the customer is 30 Mbps

Guidance for rural community groups who want to initiate a group scheme can be found on the website gigabitvoucher.culture.gov.uk/for-residents/community

Collaboration for Digital Connectivity Conferences

BDUK is also organising a series of local body conferences around the UK to support the launch of the Rural Gigabit Connectivity programme and is seeking to gather feedback at these sessions.

Please reserve your places at these events through the following links:

·         Monday 3rd June – GLASGOW eventbrite.co.uk

 

·         Monday 10th June – CARDIFF eventbrite.co.uk

 

·         Wednesday 19th June – NORTHERN IRELAND eventbrite.co.uk

 

·         Monday 24th June – LONDON www.eventbrite.co.uk

Your feedback and questions

As ever we appreciate your feedback and will endeavour to answer questions or provide additional support when requested. Please email gigabitvoucher@culture.gov.uk.

Best wishes from the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Team