Plans to build full fibre broadband in more than 500 new places unveiled

28 May 2024, 00:04

Openreach engineer
Openreach new digital services. Picture: PA

Openreach said the project will cover a further 2.7 million homes and businesses.

Openreach has announced plans to build full fibre broadband in over 500 more locations across the UK, covering a further 2.7 million homes and businesses.

The new locations include 400,000 premises in the hardest to reach, most rural parts of the country, including Tobermory in Argyll and Bute, Haworth in West Yorkshire, Saundersfoot in South Wales, Pinxton in Derbyshire, Harlow in Essex and Roborough in Devon.

The work is part of Openreach’s £15 billion project to upgrade the UK’s broadband infrastructure, making gigabit-capable technology available to 25 million homes and businesses by the end of 2026, including 6.2 million in rural areas.

Clive Selley, chief executive of Openreach, said: “We’re on track and on-budget to make this life-changing broadband technology available to 25 million homes and businesses.

“We plan to build right across the UK, from cities and towns to far-flung farms and island communities.

“Ultimately, we’ll reach as many as 30 million premises by the end of the decade if there’s a supportive political and regulatory environment.

“Over time, we’ve learnt to deliver predictably, consistently and at a rapid pace – despite this being a hugely complex national engineering project.

“That gives us confidence to be even clearer about our build plans and we want to be as transparent as possible about where and when we’re building.

“Today we’re publishing more detail than ever about the places we’re building in now, and the communities we’ll be upgrading next.”

By Press Association

More Technology News

See more More Technology News

The Chat GPT website

OpenAI unveils new 200 dollars-a-month ChatGPT Pro subscription

The lights on the front panel of a broadband internet router

Full-fibre broadband reaches nearly 70% of UK homes – Ofcom

UK trials first interactive public breathalyser to curb drink-driving during festive season.

UK pub debuts first interactive breathalyser to help tackle drink-driving during festive season

A child using a mobile phone

Parents urged to be vigilant about children’s online safety over Christmas

Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool

Data from hospital cyber attack ‘could be released before NHS can investigate’

British singer Charli XCX dressed in a black dress and dark sunglasses at the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition Preview Party 2023 – London

Brat summer and ‘demure’ make-up feature in TikTok’s top trends of 2024

A woman using her mobile phone

Virgin Media O2 expands National Databank access to all O2 stores

Exclusive
Ministers are looking at relaxing the Tory government's TikTok ban in a bid to woo younger voters online, LBC understands.

Ministers eye TikTok comeback to reach younger voters despite security concerns

Telegram Messenger stock

Telegram to work with internet watchdog on child sexual abuse material crackdown

The GCHQ building in Cheltenham (GCHQ)

‘Broader and deeper’ online risk to UK from criminals and state-backed hackers

Riot police at a demonstration outside a hotel in Rotherham (

Oversight Board to examine Facebook posts about summer riots

The Microsoft logo

Microsoft facing £1 billion legal claim from UK businesses

A rendering of a computer chip with a human brain image superimposed on it

Most people happy to share health data to develop artificial intelligence – poll

Hands on a keyboard with code on a computer screen

Cyber risk facing UK being ‘widely underestimated’, security chief warns

Ms Barkworth-Nanton, from Swindon was honoured for services to people affected by domestic abuse and homicide at Buckingham Palace on Thursday (Aaron Chown/PA)

Social media ban for children ‘brilliant idea’ for tackling abuse – charity boss

Baroness Cass sounded the note of caution as she made her maiden speech in the House of Lords (Yui Mok/PA)

Mobiles in schools could become like ‘smoking behind the bike shed’