High-speed Project Gigabyte broadband set for rural Hampshire

Full fibre provider CityFibre will install the infrastructure across rural areas of Hampshire

About 76,000 homes and businesses in rural parts of Hampshire will get high-speed broadband as part a government-funded project.

The £104m work is part of the £5bn Project Gigabit scheme to connect hard-to-reach areas to gigabit-capable broadband.

The first live connections are hoped for January 2024.

Hampshire County Council said it was a "substantial investment" which would "boost economic and social prosperity".

Government minister Sir John Whittingdale said broadband had become an "essential part of life"

Once connected, residents and businesses are expected to have access to fast broadband services over a network that supports speeds of up to 10Gbps.

Full fibre provider CityFibre has been given £318m for the work in Hampshire, along with Suffolk and Norfolk.

City Fibre will also spend £54m of its own funds in Hampshire.

The project is expected to be completed in the region by March 2029.

Hampshire County Council leader Rob Humby said it would deliver "reliable, high-speed full-fibre broadband to areas that are not commercially viable".

By the end of 2025, the government is targeting 85% of the UK to have gigabit-capable connectivity and nationwide coverage by 2030.