Wessex Internet has officially launched its £33.5 million Project Gigabit initiative to deliver full fibre broadband to rural Dorset and South Somerset. Construction began in Halstock and Dorset, following the completion of detailed planning for the five-year programme awarded in April.
This ambitious rollout will connect 21,400 hard-to-reach homes and businesses, bridging the digital divide for underserved communities. Key areas include Swanage, Dorchester, and Sherborne in Dorset, alongside Crewkerne and Glastonbury in Somerset, empowering residents and businesses with gigabit-capable broadband speeds.
Telecoms Minister Sir Chris Bryant said:
“Dorset and Somerset are the latest regions to see spades in the ground, laying fibre that will deliver the fastest internet speeds on the market – thanks to our nationwide rollout of Project Gigabit.
“The upgrades will help put an end to buffering broadband in hard-to-reach rural communities and support our mission to kickstart economic growth and break down barriers to opportunity. We are on track to keep plugging digital gaps and achieve nationwide gigabit coverage by 2030.”
Hector Gibson Fleming, CEO of Wessex Internet, said:
“We’re delighted to have started the construction phase our fourth Project Gigabit contract, which will benefit thousands of residents and businesses in rural Dorset and Somerset.
This follows the start of construction for our South Wiltshire contract a few weeks ago and demonstrates the commitment and hard work of our teams to rapidly progress the delivery of these vital infrastructure projects.
For too long, rural communities have had to make do with outdated, unreliable internet connections, and this rollout of full fibre broadband represents a great leap in digital infrastructure that will support local residents and rural economies for years to come.”
