RESIDENTS in a Tendring village are set to be the latest to benefit from a £150 million infrastructure boost to improve broadband in their area.

Engineering work is underway to connect more than 900 homes in Great Bentley to a full-fibre broadband access network. 

The works are part of a countywide £150 million infrastructure scheme in rural Essex which is being fronted by telecommunications company Gigaclear.

The firm has been designing, building and operating a new full-fibre network since 2011. 

The first homeowners in the village are expected to have access by the end of the year with work due to be completed by summer 2024.

Delivery director Tony Smith said: “Gigaclear’s full-fibre broadband network spans 26 counties and counting, but it is in rural Essex that we have made our biggest investment.  

“Work has already taken place to connect around 2,000 homes in nearby Wivenhoe, Alresford and Elmstead Market which is enabling us to now reach Great Bentley. 

“People living in urban areas, on average, enjoy much faster broadband speeds than those in rural communities and we’re determined to narrow this gap.  

“Having access to ultrafast ‘full-fibre’ rather than the slower ‘part fibre’ broadband will allow people living in villages such as Great Bentley to work from home, stream online entertainment, scroll and gameplay just like everyone else.” 

While working on the access, Gigaclear will utilise existing Openreach ducts and poles wherever it is possible to minimise disruptions for residents. 

More information can be found at gigaclear.com.