Thousands of rural homes and businesses in West Yorkshire get access to lightning-fast internet

Rural communities in North and West Yorkshire are the first to be connected to gigabit capable broadband under a government contract awarded to supplier Quickline earlier this year.

Telecoms Minister Chris Bryant announced the bandwidth boost at Leeds Digital Fest, where he spoke about his commitment to ensure Britain has the infrastructure the country needs to thrive, including by achieving full gigabit coverage by 2030, and harnessing the enormous potential of technology to accelerate innovation and improve people’s lives.

The contract will fund connections for over 28,000 hard-to-reach rural homes and businesses in the region once the roll out has completed.

Residents and business owners in the region, many of whom have struggled to fulfil basic online tasks due to outdated broadband infrastructure, will receive major internet speed upgrades due to Project Gigabit.

Project Gigabit is the government-funded programme targeting areas that would be too expensive to be connected to gigabit broadband through the commercial rollout because of their remote location.

Minister Sir Chris Bryant said: “Thousands of rural households, businesses and students in this region can now enjoy better connectivity without having to battle for bandwidth with neighbours or other family members to stream video and music or download big files crucial for work and education.

“The digital divide affecting a region as bursting in opportunities as Yorkshire is unacceptable. Since my appointment, I have made it one of my highest priorities to plug digital gaps, and the government and I have vowed to achieve nationwide gigabit coverage by 2030.

“It is fantastic to mark a new step towards this journey and start delivering the connectivity the region deserves to thrive and compete.”

Julian Chalk, Head of Network Engagement and Enablement at Quickline, said: “We’re proud to be delivering gigabit capable broadband to rural communities in the York area as part of the government’s Project Gigabit programme.

"Our goal is to make an impact quickly and light up these areas as soon as possible. 

“Everyone deserves access to reliable broadband and we’re committed to helping our customers to thrive in the digital world.”