RURAL Vale villages are set to get a broadband boost in the new year as work to bring full-fibre to rural Dorset continues this month.

Engineering work is getting underway to extend full-fibre broadband to more than 1,800 homes in Sturminster Marshall, Shillingstone, Okeford Fitzpaine and Child Okeford.

The work is part of a multi-million-pound infrastructure investment in the county by telecoms company, Gigaclear.

Work in the villages is due for completion in the spring, with the first residents having access in February 2024.

Senior project manager, Glenn Ellis, said: “We’re already extending our network to almost 2,000 homes in nearby Sturminster Newton and thousands more in Blandford Forum and the current work will enable us to reach other rural communities in the county.

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“We’ve already invested around £8 million to extend our network in rural Dorset and we shall continue to provide homeowners and businesses with the opportunity to benefit from Gigaclear’s full fibre broadband, whether it’s to work from home, stream online entertainment, scroll or gameplay.”

During the engineering work, Gigaclear will be utilising existing Openreach ducts and poles wherever possible in order to minimise disruption.

For more information on the rollout, visit www.gigaclear.com.