A NORTHUMBERLAND based rural broadband and IT solutions specialist is urging those living in rural areas of Northumberland and the Scottish Borders with poor internet connections to apply for the gigabit voucher scheme before time runs out.

The scheme by Alncom is part of the government's election pledge to bring broadband speeds of up to 1,000Mbps to the whole country by 2025.

It says nearly half a million homes have been connected with the help of government subsidies.

The average UK broadband speed is around 64Mbps (megabits per second), according to the latest Ofcom figures.

Homes and businesses in rural areas of the UK may be eligible for funding towards the cost of installing gigabit-capable broadband when part of a group scheme.

Rural premises with broadband speeds of less than 100Mbps can use vouchers worth £1,500 per home and up to £3,500 for each small to medium-sized business (SME) to support the cost of installing new fast and reliable connections.

Managing director Stephen Pinchen has said, “we’ve already connected rural properties and businesses in the Maften and Ingoe area and now as far as the College valley and Kelso.

"If you live in a remote area of Northumberland and the Scottish Borders we can ensure a Superfast broadband connection where funding is readily available.

"With many still working from home, our rural clients require Superfast broadband to carry out every day tasks like downloading emails, uploading images and video conference calls.

"The Covid-19 pandemic has shown how important it is to have access to superfast broadband. Being connected is key to communicating with family, working from home and allowing our rural economy to grow.

"As world leading internet specialists, we understand the demand for this therefore we must stress, that is anyone is interested to contact us soon as time is running out to take part.”