Derbyshire County Council has approved two new grant programmes to enhance internet speeds for businesses and households that continue to experience poor broadband access.
Around 32,000 premises across the county currently receive less than 100 Mbps, with approximately 3,000 still receiving speeds below 10 Mbps. Many of these are located in rural areas with no commercial plans for a full-fibre rollout within the next three years.
Funding from the council’s Digital Derbyshire reserves will support the rollout. The Gigabit Fibre Connectivity Grant will deliver full fibre networks to clusters of hard-to-reach properties, while the Interim Connectivity Grant will provide short-term alternatives such as satellite or mobile broadband in areas where fibre installation is not economically feasible.
The initiative is designed to enhance digital capability for local businesses, improve productivity, and strengthen the county’s competitiveness. Derbyshire County Council is also working with the East Midlands Combined County Authority to identify future funding opportunities to expand broadband access further.
