Project Status - Completed
- Start Date: December 2020
- End Date: March 2022
- Getting Building Fund allocation: £1.5 million
- Awarded to: Dorset Council
Project Summary:
Dorset LEP allocated £1.59 million of the Getting Building Fund to Dorset Council, with match funds of £8.8 million, to deliver enhanced digital connectivity full fibre (gigabit) across the Dorset Council spatial area, with a particular focus on rural areas where current connectivity is poor.
The project has improved economic activity and productivity by introducing both broadband coverage and infrastructure which ensure a fast connected future for Dorset.
Full fibre has been deployed to specific public sector locations. These hub sites are used as fibre anchor points enabling homes and businesses access to fibre through open access and by using top up vouchers where required to make the cost affordable. The project’s deployment of gigabit infrastructure is expected to improve the commercial conditions for future fibre distribution which will be a key enabler for improved mobile connectivity, including 5G, in rural Dorset.
Digital connectivity plays a key role in both improving productivity and addressing environmental challenges. The impact of COVID-19 has demonstrated the absolute necessity to have reliable, resilient and up-to-date digital infrastructure to support economic activity and provide community services. The infrastructure and ability to exploit its potential are essential to enable inclusive growth and prosperity and realise Dorset’s vision for clean economic growth.
The project aims to deliver 61 fibre hub sites which will all be operational by June 2022 providing connectivity opportunity to 14,000 residents and businesses.
Final project report here.
