Those areas that currently have sub-superfast broadband speeds (30 Mbps or below) are more likely to be in the 20% of premises that the Department thinks will be unviable for commercial providers. Only 21% of premises in rural ‘county areas’ currently have access to gigabit-capable connections.68 We heard that some rural areas or areas of economic deprivation, such as Blaenau Gwent in Wales, were previously supported by the Welsh Government with the previous Superfast broadband roll out. In contrast, we noted that roll-out of gigabit connectivity had been much slower and that at just 3% the area had one of the lowest levels of coverage.69 We therefore asked the Department what it was doing to ensure that these areas and other rural areas, such as the Cotswolds, were not being left behind. The Department told us about a number of activities it was undertaking including: the roll out of superfast broadband to those unable to receive 30 Mbps (about 40,000 premises expected within the next year); the voucher scheme, which is told us was active and very popular in Wales; and the public sector hubs programme which had reached some 600 public buildings in Wales. However, it also told us it only recently completed the initial data-gathering stages for new procurements and therefore no new Gigabit infrastructure contracts have been signed.70