Broadband boost arrives early for rural North Oxfordshire
Thousands of homes and businesses now have access to faster internet
Almost 4,000 homes and businesses in rural North Oxfordshire can now access faster broadband after an £8.2 million upgrade was completed early.
The project has focused on rural villages and hamlets where difficult locations have previously made it harder to access high-speed internet.
The rollout, part of the UK Government's Project Gigabit scheme, has brought full fibre broadband to 3,880 properties across the area.
Broadband provider Gigaclear completed the work four months ahead of schedule, with places including Stratton Audley, Hanwell, Horley, Wendlebury and North Newington among those benefiting.
It is hoped the improvements will make it easier for residents to work from home, study online and keep in touch with friends and family, while helping local businesses grow.
Telecoms Minister Ian Murray said: "Finishing this broadband upgrade four months early is great news for communities across rural North Oxfordshire, with thousands of homes and businesses now able to get fast, reliable connections thanks to government investment.
"That can make a real difference day to day - from working or running a business from home, to helping with homework or simply keeping in touch with family and friends."
More broadband improvements planned for Oxfordshire
The North Oxfordshire rollout is one of two Project Gigabit contracts being delivered by Gigaclear in the county.
Together, the projects are backed by £23.1 million in government funding and are expected to bring gigabit-capable broadband to around 9,300 homes and businesses across North and South Oxfordshire.
Work on the South Oxfordshire rollout is still ongoing.
Gigaclear CEO Nathan Rundle said: "Completing our North Oxfordshire Project Gigabit build four months ahead of schedule is a fantastic achievement for the Gigaclear team.
"Thousands of homes and businesses can now access full fibre, bringing faster and more reliable connectivity to rural communities that have historically been underserved.
"We're proud to have worked with BDUK and the government to deliver this project ahead of schedule and help close the digital divide."
Project Gigabit is the Government's programme to bring faster broadband to harder-to-reach parts of the UK, with a wider ambition of achieving nationwide gigabit coverage by 2032.