The National Rural Conference 2025

Bookings are now officially open for the National Rural Conference 2025, which will take place online from Monday 15 to Thursday 18 September.
This is the Rural Services Network’s flagship event of the year, bringing together rural decision-makers, practitioners, and advocates for four days of live, interactive sessions focused on the future of rural communities.
Click here to book!

Rural risk to fast broadband target

The Times has reported on warning from telecommunications firms that the Government risks missing its target of delivering gigabit broadband speeds to all parts of the UK by 2025, as rural consumers are at risk of being left behind by unaffordable and inaccessible full-fibre broadband

BT Openreach said it was ‘really not worried’ about being on track in urban and suburban areas, however for rural areas ‘it is harder, more expensive and very labour intensive to get the job done’.

The company is consequently calling on ministers to give details of a £5 billion fund to expand in the UK’s most remote areas.

Meanwhile the Northampton Chronicle has reported that more rural Northamptonshire towns and villages will have access to quicker broadband, as Gigaclear, the rural broadband provider, said it will expand its fibre network for the multi-million-pound Superfast Northamptonshire project adding 700 properties.

Full articles:

The Times - Rural risk to fast broadband target