Project Gigabit NI reaches first major milestone

The first phase of Project Gigabit NI has reached a landmark milestone, with 1,593 rural households and businesses across Northern Ireland connected to full fibre broadband for the very first time. 

Awarded to Fibrus, the £34.6 million project is funded by the UK Government through the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) and delivered by the Department for the Economy (DfE). When complete, it will bring full fibre access to 9,333 of the most rural and hard-to-reach homes and businesses in Northern Ireland — future-proofing communities where connectivity has historically lagged far behind urban areas. 

A Real Difference for Real People 

One of the first customers connected through Project Gigabit, Clement McArdle lives with his wife in the foothills of the Mourne Mountains, between Mayobridge and Hilltown, surrounded by quarries and a busy haulage road. With little to no mobile phone signal and unreliable, slow broadband speeds, Clement has lived with the quiet frustrations of buffering and connectivity issues for years. 

His broadband speed has leapt from just 5Mbps to 500Mbps, a transformation that has brought everyday peace of mind, more reliable connectivity, and the ability to stay in touch with family whenever he wants. 

Now retired, Clement is making the most of his free time as he enjoys watching a range of live sport through his broadband connection, rugby, soccer, gaelic football but especially Formula One.  

Jenny Lennon, Managing Director of Hyperfast Networks said: 

Supporting rural communities is fundamental to our purpose. Project gigabit enables us to extend highspeed, dependable connectivity to thousands of more homes and businesses across the north of Ireland, unlocking new opportunities for growth and full participation in the digital economy. 

It is brilliant to see Clement and his wife already feeling the difference and we look forward to further enhancing connectivity, driving innovation and supporting a more regionally balanced and competitive economy through the successful delivery of project Gigabit.

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald said:

Fast and reliable broadband is essential to how people live and work today, underpinning economic development, supporting access to services and helping communities stay connected. The completion of phase one of Project Gigabit, with the first 1,593 premises now connected to full fibre broadband, is an important milestone and shows the programme delivering real benefits on the ground for households and businesses.  

By extending high speed broadband to more than 9,000 premises, particularly in rural areas, this investment is helping to spread social and economic opportunity across the north. 

UK Telecoms Minister, Liz Lloyd, said:

Reliable connectivity shouldn’t be determined by your postcode. Powered by the UK Government, Project Gigabit NI is ushering more rural communities into the digital era, enabling people to enjoy uninterrupted streaming, seize new opportunities and grow businesses.  

 Since July 2024, we’ve delivered gigabit connectivity to over 268,100 premises across the UK. This latest milestone is proof that our investment is delivering results, empowering people to get on with their day instead of waiting for their page to refresh.