State aid for individuals who do not have a sufficient internet connection, particularly in rural areas, will increase from 150 to 300 euros, in order to allow better access to wireless broadband, the Prime Minister announced on Saturday. John Castex.
The "digital cohesion of territories" scheme, launched in 2018, allowed households and businesses not covered by wired networks to switch to wireless broadband, thanks to aid for the cost of equipment, installation or in service up to 150 euros.
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“
The finding is that this amount is not enough to allow people to equip themselves.
We therefore decided to go to 300 euros, even 600 euros
”, according to criteria of resources, affirmed Jean Castex during a trip to Ariège alongside the Secretary of State for Digital Cédric O. This device will come into force on month of April, indicated the Prime Minister, at the end of a visit to a fiber deployment site, in Moulin-Neuf, north-east of Foix.
It is part of the "France Very High Speed" plan which aims to cover the entire territory in very high speed (over 30 Mbits / s) by the end of 2022.
The UFC-Que Choisir association pointed out in a study published at the end of January that despite the 4G mobile network, 32% of consumers in rural areas are deprived of "good broadband", namely an internet connection with a speed greater than 8 Mbits/ s.
RN20 development protocol
Later in the morning, Jean Castex signed a protocol for the development of the RN20 with the Occitanie region and the department of Ariège, reaffirming the State's desire to commit to financing the road bypass of Tarascon- sur-Ariege.
"
In the continuity of the itinerary protocol on the RN20 in Ariège signed on March 22, 2017, this new protocol records the funding necessary for the realization of several developments, including the deviation of Tarascon-sur-Ariège by the Quié tunnel
", according to a press release.
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Because in the meantime the cost of the work has gone from 120 to 194 million euros, in particular because of the technical choices for the construction of the tunnel.
It will be financed 60% by the State, 20% by the Occitanie region and 20% by the department of Ariège.
This axis of the RN20, from Pamiers, is “
particularly strategic
” since it notably allows access to Andorra, whose head of government Xavier Espot Zamora was present on Saturday in Tarascon-sur-Ariège.
The work should begin “ at the
end of 2024, beginning of 2025
”, according to the Prime Minister.
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