A £7-MILLION investment deal to get homes connected to super-fast broadband has been welcomed by West Devon and Torridge MP Geoffrey Cox.

Mr Cox met the managing director of Airband, Redmond Peel, to discuss the company’s plans to deliver high-speed broadband to thousands more homes and businesses across his constituency.

The meeting followed the announcement of a £7-million deal with Connecting Devon and Somerset which will see a further 13,000 homes situated in rural areas accessing superfast broadband internet with speeds of at least 30Mbps.

Mr Cox pressed for assurances that a solution will be found to ensure delivery of superfast broadband to pockets of his constituency where homes are hard to reach.

Following the meeting Mr Cox said: ‘I’m very pleased that broadband connections in my constituency continue to improve. A reliable internet connection is vital for families and businesses and I am glad Airband have found a solution to providing services in areas where delivering an internet connection through conventional means has been difficult.

‘In addition to this, I am delighted that just last week a new £400-million Digital Infrastructure Investment Fund was launched demonstrating this government’s commitment to support emerging fibre broadband providers.’

Mr Peel added: ‘After a successful deployment across Dartmoor and Exmoor, Airband are delighted to be working with Connecting Devon and Somerset again to bring superfast broadband to the hardest to reach homes and businesses in West Devon.

‘A good value, high speed and quality broadband connection is so important and necessary to most people now and we’re incredibly proud to be working to provide that in the South West.’