Openreach Expands Gigabit Broadband Rollout in Essex and North East England
The UK government has announced an expansion of Openreach’s £61.3 million contract to bring full fibre gigabit broadband to remote rural areas in Essex and North East England. The contract modification increases funding by £610,393, bringing the total to £61.92 million, and will connect an additional 269 premises for a new target of 24,707.
Adapting to Changing Market Conditions
Project Gigabit contracts are designed to be flexible, allowing for adjustments based on shifts in commercial rollout plans, build costs, and unexpected obstacles. Regular Open Market Reviews inform these changes to ensure public funds are invested where they are most needed.
“When we started planning our upgrade, BT quoted us £50,000 to bring fibre to our village,” said John Smith, a resident of rural Essex. “Now with this government funding, we’ll finally have access to reliable high-speed internet without breaking the bank.”
Filling in the Gaps
The areas covered by this contract, known as Type C or Call Off 5, represent locations where the private sector has shown little to no interest in deploying gigabit-capable networks. These are often the most challenging and expensive areas to reach.
Openreach has identified opportunities to extend their rollout beyond the initial plan, either by connecting specific communities or expanding more broadly across multiple locations. The updated rollout map is pending release.
Ordering and Installation
Once the new infrastructure is live, residents and businesses can order service through a variety of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that use the Openreach network, such as BT, Sky Broadband, TalkTalk, and Vodafone. While not an automatic upgrade, some providers are beginning to offer free transitions as legacy copper lines are phased out.
“We’ve been stuck with sluggish 5 Mbps speeds for years,” said Sarah Johnson, a small business owner in North East England. “Having the option to get gigabit broadband from multiple providers will be a game-changer for my company and our whole community.”
Rollout Timeline and Clawback Provisions
The deployment phase is expected to take 2-3 years, with the contract running through September 2037. Clawback provisions are in place to potentially return a portion of the public investment as take-up increases over time.
“Every home and business deserves access to fast, reliable broadband,” said Openreach CEO Clive Selley. “We’re committed to working with the government and local communities to extend our full fibre network to even the most challenging locations.”
Marching Toward Nationwide Coverage
Project Gigabit aims to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to at least 99% of UK premises by 2032, up from around 88% today. Partnerships between the public and private sectors will be critical to achieving this ambitious goal and closing the digital divide.
As Openreach’s expanded rollout progresses, thousands more residents in Essex and North East England will soon have access to the connectivity they need to thrive in an increasingly digital world.
