About us
Building Digital UK (BDUK) is helping to bring fast and reliable broadband and mobile coverage to hard-to-reach places across the UK - transforming people's lives and driving economic growth.
Who we are
We are responsible for the roll out of gigabit-capable broadband and the expansion of 4G mobile coverage in hard-to-reach areas of the UK. We work with suppliers and communities to ensure that people can access fast and reliable digital connectivity that can transform their lives.
We work closely with industry partners and local bodies to deliver our two overarching programmes: Project Gigabit and the Shared Rural Network.
Project Gigabit
Project Gigabit is the government’s programme to enable hard-to-reach communities to access lightning-fast gigabit-capable broadband. It targets homes and businesses that are not included in broadband suppliers’ plans, reaching parts of the UK that might otherwise miss out on getting the digital connectivity they need.
Project Gigabit will be crucial to achieving the government’s target of full gigabit coverage by 2030. The connections delivered by Project Gigabit will benefit rural and remote communities, as well as tackling pockets of poor connectivity in urban areas.
We have signed dozens of local, regional and cross-regional contracts to support this nationwide rollout. These contracts are summarised on our Project Gigabit contracts page.
Shared Rural Network
Jointly funded by the government and the UK’s four main mobile network operators (EE, Three, VMO2 and Vodafone), the Shared Rural Network is delivering new 4G coverage to places where there is either limited or no 4G coverage at all.
The public and private investment in a shared network of phone masts will significantly improve mobile coverage for an extra 280,000 premises and 16,000km of roads, and is driving increases in coverage across all four nations, with the biggest coverage improvements in rural parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
Improvements in 4G coverage will mean more people can stay connected, shop online and stream entertainment on the go, wherever they are in the UK. It will also provide countless benefits for rural communities, from helping emergency services to save lives and tackle crime to boosting tourism and promoting more efficient and sustainable farming practices.
For more information on the SRN, visit the website.