In a rural constituency like the Forest of Dean, it is especially important that the local MP speaks up to ensure that residents are provided with the best broadband provision possible. I have been working closely with Gloucestershire County Council in this area and have been pleased to witness the success of the County Council’s ‘Fastershire’ Broadband Project.
Further to this work, the County Council will be launching a new ‘Digital Household Grant’ for properties that experience broadband download speeds of less than 30 megabits per second (Mbps), which were recently removed from an existing contract with Gigaclear.
By 2030 the Government is aiming for most properties across England to have access to broadband download speeds at 1,000 Mbps. This £5 billion investment will be delivered through a project called Project Gigabit.
To help affected properties until these upgrades have been delivered, the County Council hopes to provide a temporary alternative option using the 4G digital network. The grant covers the installation costs of a 4G antenna, router, and setup costs to enable you to use the hardware.
All qualifying properties within the Forest of Dean should now have received a letter from the County Council detailing how an application can be submitted. If you have received such a letter, I would encourage you to use the below link to express your interest. If you have not received a letter but believe your property would qualify for the scheme, then please do get in contact with my office and I’ll do what I can to assist.
https://www.fastershire.com/rollout/digital-household-grant/
