DfE provided more than £250,000 to MT to assist with below ground fibre installations

Picture credit: Manx Radio

Minister says figure was to ensure premises deemed not commercially viable could be included in rollout

The Department for Enterprise provided more than quarter of a million pounds to Manx Telecom last year to cover costs associated with below ground fibre installations.

The funding was to ensure fibre could be delivered to premises that were determined not to be commercially viable.

Enterprise Minister Tim Johnston confirmed the funds were only provided in a limited number of areas which fell within intervention zones identified in the National Broadband Plan.

A total of £265,000 was used to allow MT to use below ground infrastructure in those intervention areas, and was allocated from the total budget for the delivery of fibre.

The DfE says Manx Telecom has made over 30 applications in relation to fibre; this funding relates to 10 of those applications.

The department's contractual arrangement with the telecoms provider in respect of the National Broadband Plan concluded in August last year.

The details were released in response to a written Tynwald questions from Glenfaba and Peel MHK Kate Lord-Brennan.

More from Isle of Man News