Proposals invited as part of for rural broadband project
Proposals invited as part of for rural broadband project
Rural regions of the UK are being invited to apply for their stake of a £20 million fund being made available to provide ultra-fast broadband to the worst-connected areas.
A deadline of 6 July has been put in place for the proposals to be submitted under the new scheme, which is being funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK).
The scheme is the second round of opportunities for rural regions to express interest in the scheme, which is known as the Rural Community Broadband Fund (RCBF).
The funds are being made available as part of a wider £530 million BDUK programme. Much of this funding will be going to various cities that have been earmarked to become ‘super-connected cities’ under the scheme.
Defra says the rural cash is to go to the 10 per cent hardest to reach areas and the money can be applied for by a range of organisations, including private companies, community enterprises, local authorities and community trusts.
Ed Vaizey, the Communications Minister, said, “The fund will back those communities working to help themselves by bringing broadband to their homes and helping businesses develop and grow.”
The RCBF is intended to cover some 50 per cent of the costs to organisations of installing the high speed broadband. Each applicant needs to demonstrate the fact that they would benefit from the new faster connection. The costs covered will include the capital infrastructure and services, but will not cover the ongoing maintenance costs.
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