NEW figures show more than two thirds of homes and businesses across the South East have access to rapid, reliable internet.
Gigabit broadband is now available for 70 per cent of homes and businesses nationwide as part of the government’s £5 billion Project Gigabit.
It represents an increase on 2019 when gigabit coverage was at just seven per cent.
The last five months have seen one million premises connected to gigabit networks, compared with the eight years it took for the first million premises in the country.
Sally-Ann Hart, Conservative MP for Hastings and Rye, welcomed the news.
She said: “Lightning-fast broadband is vital to levelling up here in Hastings and Rye but for far too long the hard-to-reach areas of the South East have suffered from slow internet speeds.
That is why I am delighted that Project Gigabit is making real progress in the region with 69.84 per cent of homes and businesses now having access to rapid and reliable internet, and I’ll continue to encourage the government to go further and faster in their ambitions.”
Speaking last month, Nadine Dorries, secretary for digital, culture, media and sport, said: “Today we enter an exciting new phase of our £5 billion Project Gigabit digital connectivity programme by signing our first major contract in Dorset.
“Thousands of hard-to-reach homes and businesses in the region will get access to faster connections and join the 20 million properties we’ve helped connect over the last three years.
“The benefits of better broadband connectivity cannot be under-estimated, and this work will mean those living in rural areas can enjoy 21st century speeds in the home and workplace, making their lives easier and more productive.”
Project Gigabit is the government’s £5 billion scheme to bring the fastest, most reliable broadband to areas considered too difficult or expensive to connect under the broadband industry’s commercial plans.
The government said it will enable anyone to start up and run a business of any size from even the most remote areas of the UK.
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