The first stage of a £200 million scheme to help bring the UK’s fastest and most reliable broadband to businesses, schools and hospitals kicks off today (Sunday 3 September) with the launch of six local pilots.

The projects will get around £10 million to test innovative ways of connecting offices and public sector buildings with the next generation of broadband – full fibre networks that run fibre connections straight to the doors of customers’ homes or businesses.

The result is an incredibly reliable connection that can offer speeds of 1 Gigabit or 1,000 Mb/Sec. The multimillion-pound investment means test projects will now go ahead in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, West Sussex, Coventry and Warwickshire, Bristol and Bath & North East Somerset, West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester.

Today’s announcement is the first step in a £200 million programme. Unveiled by the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, at Spring Budget, it is part of the government’s four-year plan to stimulate the market and encourage the growth of full fibre up and down the country.

The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, Andrew Jones MP, said:

How we live and work today is directly affected by how good our broadband connection is. Reliable connections enable new industries to flourish, help create jobs and give people flexibility in how and where they work.

For our economy to thrive, it is vital we make smart investments to ensure our digital infrastructure is world class and fit for the future.

Full fibre connections are the gold standard and we are proud to announce today the next step to get Britain better connected.

Minister of State for Digital, Matt Hancock MP, said:

We want to see more commercial investment in the gold standard connectivity that full fibre provides, and these innovative pilots will help create the right environment for this to happen. To keep Britain as the digital world leader that it is, we need to have the right infrastructure in place to allow us to keep up with the rapid advances in technology now and in the future.

The cutting-edge technology will make internet access more secure and enable more people to work remotely without disruption, as well as equipping the UK’s homes, businesses and public services for applications of the future.

Full fibre broadband could potentially allow:

• hospitals to share HD quality graphics of medical scans in seconds to improve diagnosis speeds

• businesses to reach ever more customers online, increasing transactions by uploading even the largest files quickly and easily

• school classrooms to see a vast increase the number of pupils who can stream educational videos at the same time

This comes hot on the heels of the Digital Infrastructure Investment Fund announced in July, as well as new legislation to enable business rates relief for new fibre. Unlocking more than £1 billion for full fibre broadband, the fund has ignited interest from private finance to invest in the sector.

Notes to editors:

The remaining £190 million will be spent by 2020-21.

This programme comes as part of the government’s £23 billion National Productivity Investment Fund aimed at improving productivity, which is key to raising living standards. This fund has already earmarked £740 million specifically for improving Britain’s digital infrastructure, ensuring the UK is match-fit for the future.

Further information

The UK regrets that the Venezuelan authorities have today prevented Lilian Tintori, the human rights activist and wife of Leopoldo Lopez, from leaving the country. We condemn the timing of this decision. Ms Tintori was due to visit London this week for a meeting with the Prime Minister to discuss human rights, as part of an important initiative to update European governments on the situation in Venezuela. The UK hopes that Ms Tintori will be permitted to travel soon.

The UK calls on all parties in Venezuela to come together to negotiate concrete actions to put the country on a path that respects the Venezuelan people’s human rights and democratic aspirations. In particular, it is the responsibility of the Venezuelan government to avoid further steps that increase tension and take Venezuela away from democracy.

The Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, said:

Aung Sang Suu Kyi is rightly regarded as one of the most inspiring figures of our age but the treatment of the Rohingya is alas besmirching the reputation of Burma. She faces huge challenges in modernising her country. I hope she can now use all her remarkable qualities to unite her country, to stop the violence and to end the prejudice that afflicts both muslims and other communities in Rakhine. It is vital that she receives the support of the Burmese military, and that her attempts at peacemaking are not frustrated. She and all in Burma will have our full support in this.

Notes to Editors

• The UK has provided nearly £8 million to address the humanitarian suffering of Rohingya refugees and the vulnerable Bangladeshi communities that host them.
• Earlier this week, the UK raised the situation in Rakhine in the UN Security Council. Our immediate priority is to make sure food and medical assistance can be provided to displaced civilians from all communities. We are also urging the Government of Burma to address the underlying issues in Rakhine.

Further information