UK expands gigabit broadband access for schools and regional infrastructure

The UK government has launched a programme to ensure all schools in England have access to gigabit-capable broadband by the end of 2030. Funded by a £325 million Department for Education budget for the 2026 to 2030 financial years, the initiative targets schools where no commercial or other government-funded fibre options are currently available. The Department for Education plans to begin contacting eligible schools starting in September 2026.

In Norfolk, the local council is addressing challenges following CityFibre’s decision to scale back its contracted fibre rollout under the Project Gigabit scheme. CityFibre reduced its £114.2 million contract for the region to £61.9 million, narrowing its coverage from 62,200 premises to approximately 33,000. This reduction has left many poorly served areas without clear connectivity plans, leading to expectations that Openreach may take over the remaining infrastructure requirements through larger cross-regional contracts.