Superfast Leicestershire: Connecting the County with Better Broadband

Superfast Leicestershire was a major initiative aimed at improving broadband access across the county. Running from 2013 to 2021, the programme focused on connecting homes and businesses in areas where commercial providers had no plans to upgrade services.

Why It Was Needed

At the time, many parts of Leicestershire lacked access to fast, reliable internet. Superfast Leicestershire was part of a national government programme to close this gap and ensure more people could benefit from digital connectivity.

What Was Achieved

By the end of the programme:

• 78,335 premises were connected to superfast broadband (download speeds of 30Mbps or more)
• Overall superfast broadband coverage in Leicestershire rose to 97%
• All premises were guaranteed a minimum speed of 2Mbps through our contract with BT

Who Made It Happen

The programme was a collaborative effort between:

• Leicestershire County Council
• BT
• UK Government
• Leicester and Leicestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LLEP)
• Local Growth Fund (LGF)
• European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
• Leicestershire district councils
• Leicester City Council

Together, these partners helped transform digital access across the county.

Looking Ahead

Superfast Leicestershire laid the foundation for future broadband upgrades, including full fibre and gigabit-capable connections. It was a key step in making Leicestershire a more connected, digitally inclusive place to live and work.

Find Out More

You can read more information about the Superfast Broadband programme including the benefits and impacts it created at: Superfast Broadband Programme Evaluation: Key Benefits and Impacts | GOV.UK