WORK has started to connect tens of thousands of people living and working in rural Cumbria to lightning-fast broadband thanks to more than £100million of government investment.

Around 60,000 premises in the county will be connected to the fastest broadband on the market after Belfast-based supplier Fibrus signed the biggest contract yet under the government’s Project Gigabit programme.

The £5billion Project Gigabit is described as the biggest broadband roll out in British history. It aims to deliver faster connections to hard-to-reach areas that would otherwise have missed out, such as Gilsland and Grasmere.

Installation work is already underway in the region, with the first gigabit connections expected by the spring.

"This is incredible news for the area and something which both locals and local MPs here have been calling for and today we’re actually delivering on this," Secretary of State for Digital, Media, Culture and Sport, Michelle Donelan MP said on a visit to Penrith yesterday.

“Across the UK over 70 per cent have connectivity to gigabit but here in Cumbria its around 31 or 32 per cent. But because of this project that will end up as over 99 per cent connectivity to gigabit which will be the most connected region in the UK.

“This will be a rolling project and teams will be going as fast as they possibly can to get this into people’s houses and businesses over the next few years.

“This project is vital particularly in rural areas to tackle loneliness, to support businesses and we know that Cumbria is a key spot for tourism so this is something that will boost tourism, boost local businesses and enable people to live and work locally.”

Fibrus has committed to creating at least 90 apprenticeships following the government investment.

These will cover a range of roles, from underground and overhead cabling to surveying, and Fibrus has also committed to establishing an apprentice training academy at Newton Rigg near Penrith.

“Most of our costs will go into labour costs and employment costs so we’re creating jobs” Fibrus chairmain, Conal Henry said.

“The broadband we’re delivering in Cumbria will be as good and high capacity as the broadband you get on 5th Avenue in New York.”

“It’s a challenge to bring broadband to rural areas but it’s a special subject for Fibrus – we know how to do this.”

In a first, the government is also bringing satellite broadband to the Lake District, which will see a mountain rescue base in Wasdale Head connected to faster, more reliable connections than currently available due to its highly remote location as part of a trial.

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