We’ve got a great update in regard to the Island’s digital connectivity.
WightFibre have confirmed that 57,000 premises on the Isle of Wight can now receive Wightfibre’s full-fibre broadband service. Cables have already been laid to a further 10,000 homes with service to those homes scheduled to become available in the next eight months.
This means that almost all of the Isle of Wight will be covered by fibre-to-premises broadband. This is a major achievement and will be important for the Island for years to come. It will be invaluable especially for education, jobs and investment – more evidence that we are getting a better deal for the Island.
When it’s finished, almost all the Island will have some of the best connectivity and fastest broadband speeds anywhere in the world. Most rural parts of the UK won’t have fibre-to-premises for many years.
This has been funded by a mix of private and public money. The public money comes from the Conservative Government's rural broadband support programme - we persuaded the Government to add an additional £9 million to WightFibre’s investment.
This has ensured that a much larger part of the Island – about 24,000 premises - can be covered than would have been commercially viable.
Areas included are: Havenstreet, Wroxall, Chale, Mottistone, Totland Bay, Freshwater Bay, Bembridge, Whitwell, Alverstone and St Helens.
Last week, Wightfibre hosted the chairman of Building Digital UK (BDUK), Simon Blagden, who wanted to see how the millions of pounds of public money were being spent.
I’m delighted that he was here to see for himself how we are connecting almost all of the Island with fibre-to-premises.
The Isle of Wight is set to be the Singapore in the Solent. This is great for homes, great for businesses and great for learning.
A copy of the press release can be found here.
