Lightning-fast broadband will be delivered to more homes in Kenilworth and Southam after a £71 million contract was signed under the government's national Project Gigabit rollout.

Independent broadband provider Cityfibre will deliver top-of-the-range full fibre connections to around 38,000 rural premises across the country.

Full fibre is capable of delivering speeds of up to 1,000 megabits (or one gigabit) per second - up to 30 times faster than superfast connections which rely on traditional copper cables.

Gigabit speeds mean households can download a high-definition film in under one minute, stream and download entertainment and shop online across several different devices at once. 

Rural communities across Warwickshire and Leicestershire will benefit, including those in or surrounding Bosworth Charnwood, Harborough, Kenilworth and Southam, Loughborough, Meriden, North Warwickshire, North Leicestershire, Rugby, Rushcliffe, Rutland and Melton, South Leicestershire, Stratford-on-avon and Warwick and Leamington. 

Now the contract is signed, Cityfibre will begin detailed surveying work, with spades expected to enter the ground from the summer. 

The contract is one of several announced today (February 6) as part of a £453 million commitment to delivering next-generation broadband to around 236,000 hard-to-reach homes and businesses across England. 

More than £1 billion in contracts have now been awarded through Project Gigabit to connect around 677,000 homes and businesses, with tens of millions of pounds worth of additional contracts to be awarded across the country in the coming weeks. 

Cllr Martin Watson, Warwickshire County Council's portfolio holder for economy said: "Improving the county's digital infrastructure is one of our key priorities given the significant economic and social benefits it can provide for residents and businesses and so we are delighted with today's Project Gigabit announcement.

"This substantial level of investment will promote further digital inclusion ensuring that thousands more Warwickshire residents and businesses will have access to lightning fast, ultra-reliable internet connectivity for decades to come."