SHROPSHIRE will be one of the first counties in the UK to benefit from a £5 billion broadband upgrade.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport announced Project Gigabet on Monday which will see 2.2 million homes and businesses in England get top-of-the-range connections in a bid to boost rural regions.

It aims to accelerate the country’s recovery from Covid, fire up high-growth sectors such as tech and the creative industries, put an end to families battling for bandwidth and bring the speed and reliability people need to start and run businesses.

Shropshire is one of 26 included in the scheme and work is due to begin from February 2022 with the scheme live from January 2023.

It will benefit 66,700 non-commercial premises and cost between £61 million and £104 million.

Digital secretary Oliver Dowden said: "Project Gigabit is our national mission to level up rural areas by giving them the fastest internet speeds on the market.

"Millions more rural homes and businesses will now be lifted out of the digital slow lane thanks to our mammoth £5 billion investment and one the quickest rollouts in Europe.

"This broadband revolution will create jobs, power up businesses and allow everyone to access vital services at lightning-fast speed, helping us build back better from the pandemic."

The news was welcomed by Shropshire Council.

Rob Gittins, cabinet member for digital, technology, data and insight, said: “Improving broadband connectivity has always been a priority for Shropshire Council, but it’s even more important in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

"I’m pleased to see that the Shropshire procurement will be the first to start in Phase 1b, with contracts due to commence in early 2023. The Connecting Shropshire broadband team will remain integral to the process and will work with BDUK to get equitable broadband coverage across the Shropshire Council area."