Broadband

(asked on 12th November 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2020 to Question 103502, what the Government's year-on-year target is for gigabit rollout in hard-to-reach areas to achieve the 2025 target.


Answered by
Matt Warman Portrait
Matt Warman
This question was answered on 25th November 2020

The government set out in its National Infrastructure Strategy that it is working with industry to target a minimum of 85% gigabit capable coverage by 2025, but will seek to accelerate roll-out further to get as close to 100% as possible. The government will continue to implement an ambitious programme of work to remove barriers to broadband deployment, and maximise coverage in the hardest to reach areas of the country through our £5 billion UK Gigabit Programme.

We have made rapid progress to date with the support of the industry. Over 1 in 3 (34%) premises can now access gigabit-capable broadband, and we expect that gigabit broadband coverage will reach at least 50% during 2021.

The Spending Review 2020 provided further details on our planned year on year capital spend for 2021-22 to 2024-25, which totals £1.2 billion as part of the £5 billion UK Gigabit Programme. DCMS is continuing to work closely with industry to develop this programme and our year on year rollout plans for these areas.



Reticulating Splines