A Councillor's Guide to Project Gigabit
Source: gov.uk (2025-02-04)

This guidance provides an overview of Project Gigabit and answers to frequently asked questions. It outlines how councillors can use their unique local role to support the deployment of gigabit-capable broadband in their area.

Introduction

Project Gigabit is a government-funded programme to enable hard-to-reach communities to access fast, reliable gigabit-capable broadband. It targets homes and businesses that are not included in broadband suppliers’ commercial plans, reaching parts of the UK that might otherwise miss out on upgrades to next-generation speeds.

The connections delivered by Project Gigabit will benefit rural and remote communities, as well as tackling pockets of poor connectivity in urban areas. Project Gigabit is crucial to the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and kickstart economic growth across the country.

What is gigabit-capable broadband?

Gigabit-capable broadband provides a download speed of at least 1 gigabit per second (or 1000 megabits per second). It is at least twenty times faster than the current average broadband speed in the UK will allow you to download a high definition film in less than 1 minute.

There are a range of different infrastructure types that can deliver broadband at this speed. These include: full-fibre, cable broadband, and fixed wireless access, with further information available in the glossary (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/project-gigabit-delivery-plan-spring-update/project-gigabit-delivery-plan-spring-update#glossary) section of BDUK website.

What are the benefits of gigabit-capable broadband?

Having the fastest, most reliable broadband means households no longer having to battle over bandwidth, and gives people the freedom to live and work more flexibly. Project Gigabit is driving productivity across British businesses, as well as in our schools, hospitals and other public services so they can deliver better outcomes for taxpayers.

As demand for faster internet speeds continues to grow, Project Gigabit will reduce inequality and ensure the UK is fit for the future. Project Gigabit is equipping the nation with the cutting-edge broadband infrastructure needed to meet people’s needs not just today, but for decades to come.

The infrastructure that supplies gigabit-capable broadband can be much more reliable than older telecommunication networks. It is often delivered through fibre infrastructure - glass cables, encased in a thin layer of plastic, which transmit data via a light signal. This technology enables five times fewer faults than old copper based networks, with less time spent on infrastructure repairs which can create local disruption like street works. This maintains a consistently fast speed to premises delivering a better service for residents and businesses.

How will my area be covered by gigabit-capable broadband?

The majority of gigabit-capable broadband infrastructure across the UK will be delivered by broadband suppliers’ commercial rollout. However, there remain some areas of the country which will be too costly for a broadband provider to cover on a commercial basis.

If a premises is within these types of areas, and is eligible for public subsidy, the government’s Project Gigabit has a number of interventions designed to provide gigabit-capable broadband:
- Project Gigabit Contracts - The majority of premises that will be connected by Project Gigabit will be served by the Project Gigabit Contracts element of the Programme. These will involve local, regional, and cross-regional contracts with broadband suppliers to deliver gigabit-capable infrastructure to an agreed set of premises. We call these “intervention areas” - premises we understand do not have access to gigabit-capable speeds and will not be connected by the market-led commercial roll out in the next three years. Our procurements will launch in a phased way over the lifetime of Project Gigabit. BDUK’s quarterly updates (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/project-gigabit-quarterly-updates) provide the latest timetable for when these contracts will begin in your area. The sequence of the pipeline prioritises those areas with a larger percentage of hard to reach homes and businesses that we expect will need government subsidy, and a higher percentage of premises which do not yet have access to superfast speeds
- Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme - Eligible homes and business not currently within Project Gigabit contracts can apply for a Gigabit Voucher worth up to £4,500 to help cover the costs of installing gigabit broadband. To see if your area is eligible visit the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme website (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gigabit-broadband-voucher-scheme-information). Some councils provide a local “top-up” voucher where the cost of connection is above the government’s voucher limit - an effective way to boost rollout - some councils limit their top-ups to premises with sub-30 Mbps broadband speeds to target the worst served areas
- GigaHubs - We are working closely with councils and other public bodies to connect rural public sector buildings with gigabit-capable broadband in order to improve public services. These premises will act as “hubs” to bring gigabit-capable speeds into the heart of communities. This will incentivise other broadband suppliers to build off the newly installed network drawing surrounding premises into their build plans
- Superfast Broadband Programme - There remain legacy contracts under the government’s previous Superfast Broadband Programme that are still delivering to homes and businesses in the slowest-speed areas. These contracts are now mainly delivering full-fibre infrastructure, so over 90% of the premises delivered will have access to gigabit-capable broadband, while other contracts are being extended to deliver 100% gigabit build to some of the remaining sub-superfast premises. Final contracts should complete delivery in 2027
Our evaluation (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/superfast-broadband-programme-state-aid-evaluation-report-2023) has shown that the Superfast Broadband Programme significantly boosted the economy by creating over 23,700 jobs and increasing local business turnover by approximately £2.6 billion. It also led to an average increase in house prices of between £1,900 and £4,900. Firms in areas benefiting from Superfast Phase 3 subsidised coverage saw a 1.6% increase in turnover, a 0.88% rise in employment, and a 0.5% growth in the number of firms, indicating that the programme encouraged business relocation to these areas. Additionally, for every 10,000 premises upgraded, the number of long-term unemployment claimants fell by 9.8.

What impact will the process of installing gigabit-capable broadband infrastructure have on my local area?

Just like any infrastructure project, the installation of new broadband infrastructure may have some short-term disruptive impacts on a local neighbourhood. This includes deployment activity such as streetworks, for which the supplier will have outlined a planned completion date with the local council Highways team.

Broadband suppliers use a range of installation techniques to deploy gigabit-capable infrastructure, for example via a public road or across private land. Suppliers will look to minimise disruption by using existing infrastructure such as ducts, overhead cables and poles, before considering the need to build new infrastructure. For more detailed information on the regulatory framework that oversees all installation of broadband infrastructure read our Resources for Communication Network Providers (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/resources-for-communications-network-providers#legislation-and-regulation) and Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Highways (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/specification-for-the-reinstatement-of-openings-in-highways).

What about those premises which are very hard to reach with gigabit-capable broadband?

The costs of deploying gigabit-capable broadband rise exponentially as deployment extends to the most remote premises. A very small proportion of premises in the UK are considered Very Hard to Reach with gigabit-capable broadband technologies. This is due to factors like their isolated geographic locations, or the great distances between them and existing or planned telecommunications infrastructure. The government is progressing its work to explore the available solutions and technology types that can serve the Very Hard to Reach premises.

How will Building Digital UK work with councils?

BDUK will work in collaboration with councils (via their digital connectivity programmes/leads) to support the connection of eligible premises in your local area. Councils, whether unitary, county or district, have vital local levers that can help fast track gigabit capable broadband roll-out to rural communities. As an example, constructive working relationships with highways, broadband delivery or planning teams can help problem-solve delivery issues and ensure deployment isn’t held up. For more information on the role councils can play in support of Project Gigabit visit the government’s Digital Connectivity Portal (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/digital-connectivity-portal).

How can councillors help support Project Gigabit locally?

Councillors have a unique position in the centre of their local communities and can undertake an important role supporting the delivery of Project Gigabit in their area. This includes:

Championing Project Gigabit and encouraging take up
- support broadband suppliers to make residents and businesses aware of voucher funding available in their areas
- ask your local broadband/digital programme leads how you can help support promotion of gigabit broadband rollout they are leading locally
- keep up to date with Project Gigabit Quarterly Updates to understand the latest progress of the programme
- act as an advocate for Project Gigabit, calming local anxieties on local deployment activity and explaining the longer-term benefit of faster more reliable broadband. You can find out more information on the Project Gigabit website (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/project-gigabit-uk-gigabit-programme)
Acting on behalf of residents and businesses
- work to understand any local support that businesses and residents can access to improve their digital skills and realise the benefits of faster and more reliable broadband
Busting local barriers to deployment

in cases where local deployment is causing friction in the community - for example disruptive roadworks, or the location of infrastructure - support discussions between suppliers and residents to resolve issues and facilitate solutions

where necessary, work with council officers and broadband suppliers to identify landowners and help secure wayleaves for infrastructure to pass through private land

More information around the leading role which councillors can play in supporting broadband deployment can be found in the Local Government Association’s A councillor’s guide to digital connectivity. (https://www.local.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/5%2053%20Cllr%20guide%20to%20digital%20connectivity_WEB_FINAL.pdf).

Broadband speeds explained

Different types of broadband provide different speeds enabling households and businesses to undertake a range of activities as outlined by Ofcom.