In the next two years, telecommunications network contractors are to connect the final 1500 remote buildings to complete Iceland’s Rural Fibre Project (Ísland ljóstengt), the government reports. The project delivers 100 Mb/s Internet access to 99.9% of Iceland’s households and businesses.

The government started the Rural Fibre Project in 2016 to fund the construction of broadband Internet access to 5,500 remote households and businesses. Through the fund, local governments can apply for subsidies in addition to their own investments.

“State and local government participation is vital to bring fibre networks to rural areas,” the Ministry of Transport and Local Government explains in an announcement. Fibre optic networks are already in place in greater Reykjavík and Eyjafjörður, Iceland’s two most-populated areas.

The final call for funding through the Rural Fibre Project was announced in October. At the time, the government expected contracts for the final 2,000 remote sites to be signed in January.

More information:

Ísland ljóstengt (Rural Fibre Project, in Icelandic)
January 2018 announcement by the Ministry of Transport and Local Government
October 2017 announcement by the Ministry of Transport and Local Government