Rural properties in Teesdale to get Project Gigabit broadband upgrade

4,000 rural properties in Teesdale are set to get faster and more reliable broadband under Project Gigabit.

Borderline has been awarded a contract to work with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and Durham County Council to provide gigabit-capable broadband. Planning is underway and construction is set to begin in Spring 2023.

The announcement covers towns, villages and hamlets in the region, including those near Barnard Castle and Bishop Auckland.

Currently, 70 per cent of the country has access to gigabit connections, though these are mainly in urban areas. Project Gigabit is a £5 billion programme intended to enable hard-to-reach communities to access gigabit-capable broadband.

Digital Infrastructure Minister Julia Lopez said: "Families and businesses across rural Teesdale can soon say goodbye to buffering broadband and hello to lightning-fast speeds thanks to the government leading the biggest broadband roll out in British history.

"I’m delighted Teesdale will be one of the first places to benefit from the dozens of multi-million pound contracts we will be signing over the coming weeks and months to make sure people in ‘hard-to-reach’ areas across the UK get the broadband they deserve."

Cllr Susan McDonnell, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for digital, customer services and procurement, said: "We look forward to working on this exciting development, which will benefit thousands of our residents and businesses in rural areas.

"Reliable broadband is integral to our ambitious plans for economic growth across County Durham. It plays a significant role in opening up a wider range of education and employment opportunities and helping communities to connect with each other and thrive."