It’s always nice to get a mention in the press, but we were suprized when Forbes highlighted the work of Film Wight when it flagged the rollout of superfast broadband here on the Isle of Wight. Although highlighting it as a BT initiative, it’s actually being pioneered by local firm Wightfibre, who’s aim is to bring the majority of the Island up to speed giving them access to fibre optic broadband, making it one of the best places in the UK for high-speed coverage.

This broadband infrastructure project has paved the way for the council’s Digital Island Strategy. Thanks to its support of digital transformation, the Isle of Wight has been dubbed “Tech Island”, now home to leading specialised global tech firms. This includes Film Wight, which highlights filming locations for production companies to shoot content. These production companies have access to super fast broadband enabling things that were once too costly such as live broadcasting to now be streamed. Although it took time and an initial investment, the project created significant economic growth and a long term positive legacy.