North mill project a ‘great example’ of how to attract funding into region
£250k helped leverage a further £3.6m in national investment
The UK government is investing £67m in the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme. It can be used by small businesses to contribute towards the installation cost of a full fibre connection.
Businesses anywhere in the Highlands and Islands are eligible.
An individual business can claim up to £3,000 towards the cost of connection. They can apply individually, or it is possible to join with other nearby businesses and/or residential premises to make a group application.
Residents, who can only apply alongside a business, can claim for a voucher up to £500.
John Robertson, Programme Manager of the Inverness and Highland City Region Deal, commented: “We’d encourage businesses which are considering an investment in future proofed connectivity to look at the scheme.
“Eligible suppliers will help identify the costs of building a full fibre connection. The Voucher contribution could tip the financial balance for businesses already seriously considering upgrading existing services. There could be benefits for small to medium sized companies, business parks, or business and residential clusters interested in full fibre.”
The Voucher scheme builds on the Highland Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s announcement last month that a partnership bid had successfully secured £4.7m for full fibre networks in Inverness, Fort William, Wick and Thurso.
Stuart Robertson, Director of Digital at HIE, commented: “This is a great opportunity for businesses to get access to full fibre connections, which can provide a huge leap forward in connection speeds. It offers businesses with a critical need for extended bandwidth an option to get the kind of connection they need.”
Full details of the voucher scheme - including eligibility, and full terms and conditions - are available at https://gigabitvoucher.culture.gov.uk/
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