Overview
- Openreach engineering teams have moved from planning to on-the-ground installation to extend full‑fibre broadband to hard‑to‑reach areas.
- In Lancashire, early work covers communities such as Clayton-le-Dale, Southfield, Pleasington, Tockholes, Oswaldtwistle and Southport, with further locations including Great Harwood, Clitheroe and Leyland.
- In North Devon, crews are upgrading networks in and around Chulmleigh, Winkleigh, Combe Martin, Berrynarbor, Umberleigh, High Bickington and Chapelton, among others.
- Project Gigabit is backed by £745 million in contracts with Openreach to benefit more than 297,000 premises, with a further £455 million reserved to narrow the digital divide.
- Openreach says it will reuse existing ducts and poles where possible to limit disruption, though some areas will see new poles, underground ducts and fibre cables.