• Wessex Internet to roll out broadband to 140,000 homes and businesses in the Southwest.
  • $89 million government subsidy through Project Gigabit will also support the firm’s expansion plans.

What happened: Wessex Internet secures $62M for rural expansion

Wessex Internet, a family-owned broadband provider, has secured $62 million from the National Wealth Fund. This funding will help the company expand its network, bringing high-speed fibre broadband to 140,000 homes and businesses in the South West. Founded in 2010, Wessex Internet already covers Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, and Hampshire. With this financial backing, the company can now extend its reach into more remote areas that still lack fast broadband.

Along with the $62 million investment, Wessex Internet will also receive a $92 million subsidy from the Government’s Project Gigabit. This funding will support the company’s expansion through four contracts with Building Digital UK. These efforts are part of a national plan to improve broadband access in rural areas. The funding will allow Wessex Internet to bring essential broadband infrastructure to these locations.

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Why it’s important

This investment plays a key role in improving broadband access for rural areas. Many broadband providers have reduced their rural expansion plans, leaving communities without reliable internet. Wessex Internet’s CEO, Hector Gibson Fleming, said the company is happy to continue expanding when others are scaling back. The new funding will help Wessex Internet deliver faster and more reliable internet to areas that have long struggled with poor connectivity.

Improving broadband connectivity will also benefit local economies. Better internet access supports businesses and provides more opportunities for education and remote work. Ian Brown, head of banking and investments at the National Wealth Fund, said this financing will ensure underserved areas receive full-fibre broadband. This move is part of the UK government’s broader aim to connect all homes and businesses to gigabit-capable broadband by 2025.