The investment, from the National Wealth Fund (NWF), will target 140,000 homes and businesses in hard-to-reach areas.
The company has a network of 40,000 properties across Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and Hampshire.
It provides broadband to homes and businesses “often neglected by larger legacy providers”.
The funding from the NWF, set up to channel investment into sectors supporting the UK’s industrial strategy, is one of the largest commitments to rural broadband infrastructure announced this year.
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This is combined with £72 million the company was awarded by Building Digital UK (BDUK), to expand its network to 137,000 rural premises.
For rural communities in target areas, the expansion will address longstanding connectivity challenges that have affected remote working capabilities and access to digital services.
Voiceover artist Natalie Cooper moved to her dream home near Shaftesbury in Dorset with her own studio, but with barely any mobile signal and broadband under 1Mb, running her business felt impossible as the connection was too slow.
She said: “I was relieved when Wessex Internet provided a line-of-sight service around six months after we moved in. I knew I’d need more to keep pace with evolving technology.
“Now that we have full fibre direct to the property, I can confidently deliver a consistent, high-quality service to my voiceover clients around the world.”
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Wessex Internet mole plough. (Image: Wessex Internet) The Big Yellow Bus Garden Project, a volunteer-run community garden in Shillingstone, Dorset, could not afford broadband access until Wessex Internet stepped in to sponsor the project.
A spokesperson said: “We can enable school children who visit the site to instantly research topics that spring up during their visits.
“It has also allowed us to develop our social media with informative videos and posts, keeping everyone in the community informed.”
Hector Gibson Fleming, CEO of Wessex Internet, said: “We are delighted with the National Wealth Fund’s decision to support our ongoing growth story. As many broadband providers scale back, we have continued to grow by focusing on rural, hard-to-reach areas that others overlook.
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“Our success is rooted in that purpose. Everyone in the business is proud of the huge impact that Wessex Internet has had on the communities we serve—connecting families, strengthening businesses and empowering local organisations.”
Ian Brown, head of banking and investments at the National Wealth Fund, said: “Every home and business in the UK deserves access to fast, affordable and reliable broadband. Our financing for Wessex Internet will ensure that under-served rural communities will benefit from the continued full-fibre rollout.
“These are areas where connecting homes and businesses to fast fibre will make the greatest difference, helping to improve connectivity and support local economies.”
