2,000 premises eligible for ‘lightning fast’ internet connection

Just over 2,000 premises in the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area are eligible for a new project which aims to deliver ‘lightning fast’ broadband.

Project Gigabit is the UK government’s new £5bn programme to extend reliable broadband to ‘hard to reach communities’.

Latest figures show the local council area has the worst access to super-fast internet services of all council regions in the North.

An initial investigation has that found that 2,057 premises, including homes and businesses,  in the Fermanagh and Omagh council area are eligible to be included in Project Gigabit.

The owners of these premises can apply for up to £4,500 to cover the costs of a gigabit-capable connection, which enables broadband providers to reach further into rural areas.

Project Gigabit is a follow on from a separate initiative called Project Stratum, which was launched several years to speed up internet connections across the North.

Around 15,000 premises in the Fermanagh and Omagh areas have benefited from Project Stratum, with the final new connections due to be rolled by the end of June 2025.

Project Gigabit is currently at the procurement stage and on-the-ground work is expected to commence in June of this year.

There is more information about the programme and how to apply if you believe you are eligible on this website.