The successful bids for a £10m fund to roll-out broadband in the hardest to reach places in the UK have been announced by the government.

The eight projects will explore how to expand broadband coverage in remote areas using fixed wireless and satellite technologies, a social investment financial model and an operating model which aggregates small rural networks.

Culture secretary, Sajid Javid, said: 'Our nationwide rollout is progressing at a terrific rate and each week superfast speeds are becoming a reality for tens of thousands of homes and businesses in rural areas across the UK.

'We know how important this has become which is why we are investing £10m in these pilots to explore how we can extend coverage beyond the 95% of the UK we are on track to deliver by 2017.'

Chief executive of Independent Networks Co-operative Association (INCA), Malcolm Corbett, called on local authorities to learn from these trials.