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<p>The ambition to invest £5bn for the rollout of full fibre and gigabit capable networks
in the hardest to reach areas of the UK was announced in September 2019. This was
reiterated in the Conservative Party Manifesto. In anticipation of the funding being
announced in the March budget, mobilisation of the delivery programme is underway.</p><p>An
application for State Aid approval has been submitted in parallel to both the European
Commission and the UK Competition and Markets Authority. <br>Modelling of the Intervention
Area (“the final 20% of premises / F20”) is underway. <br>The procurement approach
is being designed in conjunction with Government Commercial Organisation and Crown
Commercial Services</p><p>The delivery team is ramping up resources, processes and
systems in preparation<br>Supplier and Local Authority engagement and workshops are
underway<br> <br>Plans are not yet at a sufficiently mature or at a sufficiently detailed
stage to answer funding plans and dates at a constituency level, however we will provide
more granular detail over the coming months. In the meantime our existing fibre delivery
programmes continue to deliver further coverage. These include the Superfast, Local
Full Fibre Networks, Rural Gigabit Connectivity Programmes as well as our Gigabit
Broadband Voucher Scheme.</p><p> </p>
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