AN estimated 20,000 homes and business in Braintree are set to have access to some of the highest internet speeds in the world.

Gigaclear is spending millions of pounds on boosting broadband in the Rayne and Great Notley area and say residents will be given access to speeds of up to 900Mbps – the same as Silicon Valley, where the likes of Apple, Google and Facebook are based.

Contractors will begin installing the necessary technology to bolster speeds before the end of the year.

It is hoped the project will be completed in late 2022.

Tony Smith, Regional General Manager for the East of England at Gigaclear, said: “We are more committed than ever to bringing ultrafast broadband to underserved rural communities, whether a hamlet or a market town, empowering them to be able to do more.

“As we continue to build our ultrafast, full-fibre broadband network across Braintree district, it is the logical next move for us to extend the network to the homes and businesses of Braintree town, and means that even more families, home workers, community services and local businesses alike will enjoy the life-changing benefits of world-leading connectivity.

“Our network will allow people to work from home effectively, with unrivalled internet speeds making it simple to access cloud services and host video calls. It will also deliver benefits to local amenities and services like pubs, libraries, surgeries, clinics and schools, minimising interruptions so that online resources can be fully utilised.

“Of course, ultrafast broadband also means that families can enjoy being online at the same time without connection grinding to a halt. No matter whether you want to stream music, films, or game online, it can all be done hassle-free.

“Now more than ever, it’s important to be connected, to keep in touch with friends and family, and to benefit from the host of opportunities that our digital age has brought in. We are thrilled to be bringing our network to the Braintree community.”

Braintree Council’s economic development boss Tom Cunningham said: “This investment of providing nearly 20,000 homes and businesses with better ultrafast broadband will bring massive connectivity benefits to more people, young and old, living and running businesses in Braintree and surrounding villages.

“We want to improve things for the better in our community, now more than ever, and working with Gigaclear on this infrastructure is a crucial element to support our economy as businesses bounce back from the economic impact of Covid-19, but also improve lives with better online access to public services.”

For more information about the project, visit gigaclear.com/braintree