Dorset Council invests £1m into government broadband scheme

Since launching in 2019, the scheme has aided more than 230 Dorset homes and business. The authority hopes that the further investment can help it reach up to 1,000 more.

This follows the news that rural areas of Dorset have some of the slowest broadband speeds in the UK, including areas of north Dorset.

House of Commons Library research has revealed that the constituencies of north Dorset, south Dorset and west Dorset are among the top 100 for worst connection speeds.

The data has come to light as Liberal Democrat leadership hopeful Layla Moran MP called for extra ultra-fast broadband support in rural areas of the UK, warning that hundreds of thousands of people are stuck in the digital slow lane.

Eighteen of the slowest broadband speeds across the UK are in the South West.

Ms Moran wants the Government to prioritise improving broadband in the UK’s hardest-to-reach communities, offering increased subsidies for ultra-fast broadband in rural areas and for business rates relief on broadband infrastructure to be extended by another 15 years.

In March, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a £5billion investment to introduce gigabit-capable broadband across the whole of the UK, following an election pledge by the Conservatives to bring full-fibre and gigabit-capable broadband to every home and business in Britain by 2025.

Dorset Council’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme has been providing gigabit-capable connections for business and homes in rural locations.

Businesses and residential premises with broadband schemes of less than 100Mbps can apply for vouchers worth up to £1,500 for homes and £3,500 for small to medium sized businesses.

The council is now increasing the amount of funding per voucher, with homes being able to receive vouchers of up to £2,500 and businesses can make use of vouchers up to £6,000.

The funding for the vouchers will be distributed on a first-come first-served basis until the end of March 2021.