Gigabit Voucher Scheme: A Handy Guide to What it is & How it Can Help You in March 2024
The Gigabit Voucher Scheme provides financial support to businesses and communities in the UK, helping them access gigabit-capable connectivity by covering part of the installation costs for full-fibre broadband services.
For further information and pricing on leased lines, click here .
Gigabit Voucher Scheme Benefits
Aside from the obvious benefit of saving your business up to £3000, a few others come with upgrading your broadband service to a fibre connection. Many businesses think this scheme only applies to standard fibre broadband connections, often not fast or stable enough to run business applications. The good news is they would be wrong! This scheme can be used towards the installation of any gigabit-capable full-fibre services, too, like fibre to the premises & our personal favourite fibre leased lines. If you have more questions about the scheme, you can read more here.
More benefits of dedicated internet connections include :
Speeds are between 100Mbps to 1Gbps, perfect for business cloud applications like VoIP, Office 365, Salesforce, etc. The average UK standard broadband speed is around 45Mbps
Highly Scalable – As your business grows, these connections can grow with it, rather than being throttled like traditional broadband.
Dedicated to you – This makes it better in so many ways for you – sings Kanyes harder, better, faster, stronger!
Copper phone lines (used within standard broadband/ADSL connections) will soon become outdated – the DCMS plans to connect the whole of the UK with full-fibre broadband by 2033 as part of the government’s £200 million investment plan
Gigabit Voucher Scheme Eligibility
First off – It will only last for a while & nearly 80% of the pot has been used already. So if you want to take advantage, you need to move quickly & your business must meet the following criteria:
Your business needs to be UK-based
SME status – Less than 250 employees, a balance sheet < £43 million or a turnover of < £50 million
The new gigabit connectivity must be at least double the speed of your current connection.
Over the past three years, you can’t have exceeded the permitted amount of De Minimis state aid ( £200,000).
The costs of connecting has to exceed £500
There are a couple of conditions regarding the connection itself too :
The connection must offer at least 100Mb & be capable of upgrading to 1Gbps
You must use a registered supplier (bonus all our partners are recognised & registered to deliver the gigabit voucher scheme
Check if you’re elgible here .
Criteria
Gigabit Broadband Voucher
UK Wide
✓
✓
Current Speed Criteria
<100 Mbps and not gigabit capable
<100 Mbps and not gigabit capable
Minimum New Speed
Step Change’ (Double current speed, at least 30 Mbps)
Step Change’ (Double current speed, at least 30 Mbps)
New Connection Must be Gigabit Capable
✓
✓
Voucher Values for SMEs
£500-£2000
£500-£3,500
Voucher Values for Residents
£500
£500-£1,500
Business Eligible
✓
✓
Residents Eligible
Group Schemes Only
✓
Single Connection (Standard PRPs)
✓
X
Group Schemes (Project PRPs)
✓
✓
Gigabit Voucher Scheme Suppliers
Weather you are looking at fibre broadband, or full fibre leased lines, we can help. You can find a full list of suppliers here. All of our partners are registered to deliver the gigabit voucher scheme & can help with securing you the best price at your location. We would love to help you find your perfect match & our services are all free. Click on one of the links, fill out the form & let us do all the work for you.
A Handy Youtube Video About the Gigabit Voucher Scheme
VIDEO
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Gigabit Voucher Scheme F AQS
What Happens When You Apply?
Upon application for a voucher, you commit to procuring a full-fibre service from a provider of your choosing once the network is established. Achieving the pledge target for your scheme does not equate to a binding commitment to construct. Each applicant must also validate their vouchers, following which we will confirm our build status. The decision to proceed with construction, as well as the timeline, is contingent upon a technical survey.
Your new connection must remain active for a minimum of 12 months, and your speeds should meet the following criteria:
At least double your existing speed if your current speed falls below 50Mbps.
At least 100Mbps if your current speed exceeds 50Mbps.
Service costs will be determined by individual service providers, although you may also explore upgrade options with your current provider. Please note that only one voucher pledge per person, per address is permissible, and any duplicates will be invalidated.
What is the Gigabit Voucher Scheme and Who is Eligible?
You can embark on your journey towards Ultrafast Full Fibre broadband by taking advantage of the UK Gigabit voucher provided through the government’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme.
Homes and businesses located in rural areas meeting specific criteria can utilise vouchers to aid in the installation of new gigabit-capable connections as part of a collective effort:
Current broadband speeds fall below 100Mbps
The likelihood of a gigabit capable network being commercially established in the near future is low
There are no imminent government-funded contracts in place to enhance the existing network
Vouchers hold a value of up to £4,500* to help defray the expenses linked to installing gigabit broadband. While your voucher contributes to the network construction costs, you will be responsible for selecting and paying for a broadband package once the network is operational.
How Much is Your Business Entitled to?
The gigabit broadband voucher scheme gives vouchers for £2500 to small and medium-sized businesses & £500 for residents to aid with the cost of installing fibre connections to their location. You can also put these vouchers toward your part of the costs of the Community Fibre Partnership. So if you have a few businesses and residents interested in getting full-fibre broadband, they could all apply for vouchers to put towards the costs.
Since May 2019, rural businesses that often have a much harder time installing fibre may be eligible for additional funding as part of the Broadband for Rural Communities scheme.
Other useful links about leased lines:
Ethernet First Mile Costs
EFM Business Broadband
Leased Lines – The Best Networks
James Ward is CEO and founder of CompareYourBusinessCosts.co.uk, a website that won the Prestigious ‘Website of the Year’ only in its second year of operations in 2015. The website has grown organically since then offering comparisons on over 20 different products including insurance, energy, telecoms, card machines, coffee machines and much more. James has a range of interests including horse racing, skiing, rugby and boxing. He splits his time between home family life, friends, exercise and socialising.