That is why I am pleased to see the
government has awarded local supplier, Wildanet, £36million to roll out new
connections across Cornwall. This means thousands of people in those hard-to-reach
areas in the Duchy will have access to lightning-fast broadband, something I
have supported and been pushing for since being elected as MP.
I
understand how important a good fast internet connection is, especially to
elderly people who often rely on online connectivity for all manner of things,
so it is a priority of mine that all households are able to enjoy full fibre
connections.
Project Gigabit is the biggest broadband rollout in
British history and shows the government’s commitment to creating a level
playing field for our communities and businesses here in Cornwall at a time
when it is more
important than ever before that people have access to fast and reliable
broadband for business and leisure purposes.
No time is being wasted on implementing this roll-out and work
is already underway to survey rural homes and businesses from Newquay to Fowey
as part of the government’s flagship £5 billion Project Gigabit. This scheme will
see up to 19,250 homes and businesses in Cornwall connected.
This is something I have been working on for many years with
Cornwall Council, supporting the bid, and now connecting those in need to the
fastest broadband on the market is set to begin as early as this summer.
This
really is fantastic news for those remote communities in the constituency who
have not been able to benefit from broadband connectivity in this digital age
when having fast, reliable internet is vital not only in our day-to-day lives,
but also for businesses.
Many
of us take reliable, fast broadband for granted, however for a number of our communities
this vitally important infrastructure has been missing for too long. Now thanks
to the government funding and Wildanet people living in rural areas will be
able to benefit from the opportunities that gigabit broadband provides,
including economic and social benefits, and it will also help Cornwall’s
economy by connecting more people and businesses.
I have had many dealings with Wildanet
in my role as MP and know that they are an excellent local Cornish employer.
Through my work in the constituency, I have seen for myself just how passionate
they are about improving rural connectivity in Cornwall.
That is why I am delighted to see their
success in accessing this government funding to achieve this, particularly as Mid-Cornwall
will be one of the first areas in the county to get the Project Gigabit
funding.
The contract will cover rural
premises from the north coast, between Newquay and Otterham, to the south
coast, between Portloe and Fowey, and so will be of great benefit to people
living in these areas.
This announcement is more confirmation
from the Government that Cornwall is at the heart of its levelling up agenda and builds on the previous
investments since 2011 through the Superfast Cornwall programmes.
As a result of these new contracts, Wildanet expects to
create 200 jobs on top of the 150 the company has created in the area already. This
will also bring indirect opportunities for local companies, which is great news.
I will continue to do all I can to
ensure people and businesses in Mid-Cornwall have access to reliable, fast broadband
and can benefit from this scheme. I now look forward to working with Wildanet,
Cornwall Council and my colleagues in Westminster on this project and am
confident we will see the economic
and social transformation we all want to see in our rural communities in
Cornwall.
If you require my assistance on any matter please get in
touch with my office by calling 01726 829379 or email office@stevedouble.org.uk
ENDS
