Rural UK independent broadband provider (altnet) Gigaclear has completed the build of its North Oxfordshire contract under the UK government’s Project Gigabit high-speed network build-out scheme four months ahead of schedule, resulting in 3,880 homes and businesses gaining access to full-fibre connectivity in one of the county’s most historically underserved areas.
Introduced in 2021 with the aim of accelerating the UK’s recovery from Covid-19, the £5bn Project Gigabit programme is designed to bring gigabit-capable broadband to communities across all communities in the UK. It aims to boost high-growth sectors such as tech and the creative industries and levelling up the country by spreading wealth and creating jobs.
At its launch, the previous UK government said the scheme would prioritise areas with slow connections that would otherwise be left behind in commercial broadband companies’ plans and give rural communities access to the fastest internet on the market, helping to grow the economy. Project Gigabit is a part of the UK government’s target to achieve full gigabit coverage by 2032.
Project Gigabit specifically targets places, such as rural areas, typically regarded as too expensive for commercial providers to reach in their build and which would otherwise be left with poor digital infrastructure. It was designed from the outset to help meet the growing demand for reliable connectivity, stimulating local rural economies and reducing regional disparities by enabling remote working and attracting new businesses.
The North Oxfordshire contract (Lot 13.02) was awarded to Gigaclear by Building Digital UK (BDUK), the UK executive agency providing public money for broadband deployments that are mandated to provide wholesale access to passive, active, backhaul and dark fibre as part of Project Gigabit programme. It has a contract value of £8.2m.
Gigaclear said that many of the villages and hamlets covered by the contract sit in some of North Oxfordshire’s hardest-to-reach rural communities, historically bypassed by commercial fibre roll-outs and therefore remaining reliant on slow copper connections. The early completion means local residents and businesses can access full-fibre ultrafast broadband, well ahead of expectations.
In addition, Gigaclear’s Oxfordshire builds form part of two Project Gigabit contracts covering the county, with a combined subsidy of £23.1m and an original target of around 9,300 premises across North and South Oxfordshire. Work continues on the South Oxfordshire contract (Lot 13.01).
Gigaclear said that both it and Project Gigabit are aligned in their mission to narrow the digital divide that still exists in Britain, to ensure that rural communities can take advantage of all the social, educational and economic benefits that full fibre is already delivering in the larger towns and cities.
“To finish our North Oxfordshire build ahead of schedule is a fantastic achievement for the whole Gigaclear team. I’m proud of how quickly and efficiently our project teams have been able to deliver,” said Gigaclear CEO Nathan Rundle. “Full-fibre broadband is now available for homes and businesses, further reducing the digital divide for these rural communities, and will drive significant social and economic improvements for them. We are proud to have partnered with BDUK in delivering these critical services.”
UK telecoms minister Ian Murray added: “Finishing this broadband upgrade four months early is great news for communities across rural North Oxfordshire, with thousands of homes and businesses now able to get fast, reliable connections thanks to government investment. That can make a real difference day to day – from working or running a business from home, to helping with homework or simply keeping in touch with family and friends.”
