By Jack Gabriel
The completion of providing superfast broadband coverage to more remote areas across Leicestershire is set to be achieved by the end of the year.
65,000 more Leicestershire homes and businesses are now able to connect to fibre broadband, including student accommodation, with a target of developing a further 15,000 properties.
Known as ‘The Leicestershire Project’, the effort to develop broadband capabilities in the county was originally campaigned for by Harborough MP, Sir Edward Garnier, in July 2014.
Sir Edward campaigned for the Broadband Development UK (known as BDUK) scheme to reach his constituency, taking issue with the availability of effective broadband speeds in Harborough, Oadby and Wigston.
Speaking back in 2014, Sir Edward said: “I have been concerned for some time about the inadequacy of broadband speeds in the constituency, especially the more rural areas.”
Consequently, a county-wide project was launched and has since helped homes and businesses achieve speeds of at least 2Mbps quicker.
The project has been allocated over £7.9m of government funding for Phase 1 and 2 of the Superfast Broadband Programme, which has seen a 34% increase in the consumption of superfast broadband in the BDUK Leicestershire Project area.
Areas that have been recently connected to the fibre broadband network include Frolesworth, Mowsley, Sapcote, North and South Kilworth, Thornton, Donisthorpe and Glen Parva.
South Kilworth resident, Sam Sandham, said: “Before the developments my download speeds were incredibly slow and it was almost impossible to play or watch things online.”
He added: “Using the internet on all my devices is so much quicker now, and everyone in the family can be connected without mass-buffering occurring.”
The final phase of the project has now started, with the aim to further develop broadband availability to another 15,000 homes and businesses in the area.
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