Rural residents encouraged to apply for internet grants

The Welsh Government’s Access Broadband Cymru scheme helps individuals fund, or part-fund, the installation costs of new broadband connections to their homes.

Many rural areas in Monmouthshire have little or no access to broadband and councillors say the grant will help alleviate the problem.

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Cllr Tudor Thomas said that speed was just as much of an issue as connection for a lot of people, particularly in the rural areas.

Cllr Jane Pratt said in the North Monmouthshire area committee that she successfully applied for the grant.

“I got 4G and it has improved things,” Cllr Pratt said.

“I am pleased to see what Cllr Jones is doing to forward this agenda. It’s important because in parts of my ward there is little or no coverage at all.”

With the Access to Broadband Cymru scheme, individuals can receive £400 for 10Mbps and above and £800 for 30Mbps and above.

The amount of funding received depends on the speed of the new connection.

The scheme could have a vital effect in Monmouthshire, where there is a distinct lack of coverage compared to the other nine local authority partners in the Cardiff Capital Region.

Monmouthshire has 12.56 per cent of premises still requiring a connection compared to three to four per cent across the other local authority areas.

The scheme is provided is an interim solution for areas that aren’t part of the Superfast Cymru 2 (SFC2) programme, which addresses the remaining aras which currently have no broadband access.

For more information visit https://gov.wales/go-superfast/boost-your-broadband.