Truespeed wins contract to bring superfast broadband to remaining villages around Cheddar by 2024

More than 56,000 homes and business premises in Somerset will finally get superfast broadband by 2024 after new contracts were agreed.

Connecting Devon and Somerset (CDS) was created to oversee the roll-out of superfast fibre broadband in areas across the two counties where it was not viable for commercial providers to put in the necessary infrastructure.

Phase two of the programme – designed to ensure 95 per cent coverage for all premises – ran into difficulty in 2018, with contractor Gigaclear's contract being terminated after a series of delays.

CDS has now confirmed three different companies will undertake the remainder of the roll-out over the next three to four years.

Around £80 million will be invested in the remainder of the scheme from the government, local authorities and the three new contractors – Airband, Truespeed and Wessex Internet.

The three companies have already delivered nearly 41,000 connections under their own steam across the two counties, and Airband previously supervised delivery of broadband across the Dartmoor and Exmoor national parks earlier in the CDS programme.

Airband, which is based in Worcester, will undertake the remainder of the programme in Somerset West and Taunton – including rural areas around Taunton, Wellington and Minehead.

It will also handle the remaining roll-out in parts of Sedgemoor – including the villages around Bridgwater – and the remaining lots in Devon.

Bath-based Truespeed will handle all outstanding premises in North Somerset (including Weston-super-Mare), Bath and North East Somerset, Mendip (including the villages around Frome, Glastonbury, Shepton Mallet, Street and Wells), and the remaining parts of Sedgemoor (including rural areas around Burnham-on-Sea, Cheddar and Highbridge).

Wessex Internet, which is based in Blandford Forum, will handle connections to the remain properties in South Somerset, including rural settlements around Chard, Crewkerne, Ilminster, Wincanton and Yeovil.

All three companies are expected to begin their work in the coming weeks, with a view to all premises being connected by 2024.

Councillor David Hall, Somerset County Council's cabinet member for economic development, planning and community infrastructure, said the three companies brought "significant experience" to the table and would deliver for the people of Somerset.

He said: "We're pleased to confirm the appointment of three well-established, regionally-based suppliers to help with the challenge of delivering the next phase of the CDS programme.

"They have significant experience of delivering broadband connections in rural areas of Devon and Somerset, so they have an understanding of the remote areas where CDS is looking to improve connectivity.

"This investment will deliver full fibre broadband ahead of many other parts of the country."

Karl Tucker, chairman of the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), said: "The appointment of the three suppliers to deliver the roll-out of full fibre coverage to people and businesses into thousands of rural homes and businesses in the Heart of the South West LEP area is good news.

"It has never been more vital than it is now to ensure our communities and businesses have access to good connectivity and the three companies all have extensive experience of working in our area.

"We are delighted to be supporting this programme through our growth deal funding."

CDS is currently funding broadband connections to more than 6,000 homes and businesses through its fibre extension programme, which is being delivered by Airband.

A further 2,000 premises will also benefit from the government's "gainshare" agreement with Openreach, with £6 million being invested in urgent projects.

The government's rural gigabit voucher scheme will also remain in operation, allowing residents to approach commercial operators directly for bespoke connections in hard-to-reach areas.