Guidance

Project Gigabit network build contracts - Cornwall

BDUK has awarded broadband supplier Wildanet two Project Gigabit contracts to provide up to 19,250 premises in Cornwall with access to gigabit-capable broadband

• From: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Building Digital UK and Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
• Published: 24 January 2023
• Last updated: 23 November 2023 — See all updates

Building Digital UK (BDUK) has carried out significant market engagement in the region to identify potential areas for government intervention to roll out gigabit-capable broadband.

Following a transparent, fair and robust procurement process, BDUK awarded supplier Wildanet two contracts with a combined value of £36 million to provide up to 19,250 hard-to-reach premises in South West Cornwall and Mid Cornwall with access to gigabit-capable broadband. The contracts were signed in January 2023.

BDUK and Cornwall County Council will work collaboratively with the supplier to ensure that the network build commences as quickly as possible, once the supplier has completed their detailed plans for this build. An amount of preparatory work is required to reach premises (for example, digging trenches, laying duct, installing fibre) prior to being able to access a service. This varies depending on geography and supplier. The first premises under these contracts are anticipated to have access to gigabit-capable broadband in Summer 2023. Once the gigabit-capable network has been built, residents and businesses will be able to request a connection from a broadband service provider to benefit from the faster speeds.

Below are maps of the areas due to be upgraded in the awarded Cornwall contracts.

Please note the premises to be reached by these contracts are subject to change following detailed planning by the supplier or due to technical reasons during the lifetime of the contracts.

Further detail on the premises due to be upgraded as part of these network build contracts will be available on this page in due course.

If your premises is not currently within the planned contract build, this may be for one of the following reasons:

• gigabit-capable infrastructure currently exists in your area
• broadband network suppliers have indicated to us as part of our Open Market Review and Public Review process that they have plans to reach you as part of their commercial build plans. This may include work planned as part of existing voucher projects through the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme
• your premises is outside of the scope of this project owing to cost or difficulty in reaching it with gigabit-capable infrastructure. The government is considering additional policy solutions for ‘Very Hard to Reach’ premises

These contracts are part of a wider strategy for Project Gigabit, with other local and regional procurements to build gigabit-capable infrastructure planned and underway across the UK. A list of awarded Project Gigabit contracts can be viewed here.

Under Project Gigabit the government is also providing up to £210 million worth of voucher funding as immediate help for people experiencing slow broadband speeds in rural areas. You can find out if you are eligible for a rural voucher on the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme website.

Further information about Project Gigabit can be found on the BDUK website and under Project Gigabit: UK Subsidy advice.

Published 24 January 2023
Last updated 23 November 2023 + show all updates

1. 23 November 2023

   Project Gigabit website link changed

2. 24 January 2023

   First published.