WORCESTER-based Airband Community Internet has announced a multi million investment to help connect more rural homes and businesses with high-speed broadband.

The investment of £16m has come from the National Digital Infrastructure Fund (NDIF).

The investment will enable Airband to expand its network to an additional 50,000 business and residential premises in England and Wales by 2021. It will also be used to drive further technology investment, as the firm prepares to roll out RuralOptic, its pioneering fibre-to-the-premises broadband solution. To date, Airband has secured approximately £25m of contractual BDUK subsidies to support its network deployment.

Khalid Naqib, senior investment director, Amber Infrastructure, said: “In structuring a flexible loan facility to fund fibre and wireless network expansion, NDIF is helping overcome the funding gap to rolling out cheaper, faster digital connectivity and in doing so, commercialising a real alternative to rival existing broadband infrastructure.

“Following our investment into Airband, NDIF is building a high-quality portfolio of digital infrastructure assets that have proven, long-term return characteristics supported by favourable policy conditions.”