Romania is set to bring high-speed internet to nearly 1,000 remote localities as part of a EUR 94 million investment under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). Economy, digitalization, entrepreneurship, and tourism minister Bogdan Ivan signed the financing agreements on Wednesday, March 5.

The project will enable the expansion of fiber-optic networks to 994 localities across 38 counties, addressing areas where internet access is currently nonexistent or insufficiently developed. 

According to the ministry, the investment aims to eliminate digital disparities between rural and urban areas, providing over 78,400 households with high-speed internet at speeds exceeding 300 Mbps.

“We promised not to leave anyone behind. […] It’s essential that all students have access to the internet, modern education cannot exist without connectivity and access to information,” said minister Bogdan Ivan.

The initiative involves constructing 3,550 kilometers of fiber-optic infrastructure, improving connectivity for tens of thousands of residents in isolated communities. It targets two main areas: fully underserved rural localities where there is latent demand and key institutions such as schools, kindergartens, or public health centers, and areas with inadequate fixed networks where the market has failed to meet connectivity needs.

Funded under the PNRR’s Digital Transformation component, the project is part of Investment I11, a competitive funding scheme designed to support broadband access in white zones - regions with little to no fixed internet coverage. The rollout is expected to be completed by early 2026.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

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