Gigabit broadband: Half-a-million rural homes to get boost

More than half-a-million homes in rural areas of England are to get access to faster broadband.

Some 567,000 properties in parts of Cheshire, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Essex, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire, East Yorkshire and North Yorkshire are in line for the boost.

Equivalent to 1,000 megabits per second, users will be able to download HD movies in less than 30 seconds.

It is part of the governments £5bn gigabit rollout.

The investment is part of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's target of achieving at least 85% gigabit-capable UK coverage by 2025, which officials say is "on track".