THE roll-out of high-speed internet is set to spread to another 3,000 rural homes across parts of Oxfordshire. 

A £4 million boost for the Better Broadband for Oxfordshire programme, led by BT and Oxfordshire County Council, will benefit more communities including villages near Wantage and Banbury.

Ardington, Barford St John, East Hendred, Lockinge, Lyford and Swalcliffe have been announced as some of the newest areas next to be wired up to a high-speed connection, alongside many more.

The infrastructure could be in place by the end of the year, although residents must sign up for high-speed plans with their internet providers to benefit. 

County councillor David Bartholomew, whose portfolio includes responsibility for broadband, said: “Today’s announcement is more great news for people living and working in some of the harder to reach parts of our county.

"We are continuing to look for cost-effective ways to reach the final four per cent of county premises not yet able to access this important service.”

The £4m funding has arisen from cost savings made earlier in the roll-out and through a BT reinvestment scheme.

Another £600,000 has been announced for a new scheme that will allow the council to co-fund installation where communities are willing to share some of the work.

The community partnership pot offers funding of up to £1,700 per premise. 

  • Anyone interested in utilising the Community Fibre Partnership programme in Oxfordshire​ can click here

Mr Bartholomew added: “We hope our co-funding initiative will play an important part in helping Oxfordshire to have the best access to digital services, even in the very rural areas. We’ve already had interest from several small eligible communities.”

Matt Hancock, the Government’s Minister of State for Digital, said the investment announcement was ‘fantastic news’ for residents in Oxfordshire, which is one of the best-connected counties in the country for high-speed internet connection. 

Steve Henderson, BT’s regional director for broadband partnerships, said: “The residents and businesses of Oxfordshire have been tremendously supportive of this programme with some of the strongest demand for fibre broadband in this country.

"They have been quick to recognise the huge opportunities this exciting technology offers.

“Such high take-up of the service has enabled BT to make an early £2.56m ‘success dividend’ available to re-invest back into the Better Broadband for Oxfordshire programme, to connect some of the hardest to reach properties."

More than 72,000 businesses and homes now have access to superfast broadband as a result of the project. 

The check if you can access fibre broadband, search the Better Broadband map.