CityFibre begins multi-million-pound work to future-proof Chichester’s digital foundations

7 September 2021: Work to bring full fibre connectivity within reach of almost every home and business in Chichester is now underway as CityFibre, the UK’s largest independent full fibre platform, breaks ground on a new infrastructure rollout that will future-proof the city’s digital needs for generations to come.

The city is an important part of CityFibre’s £195m plans for West and East Sussex, with construction in progress in a number of towns and cities across the region including Worthing, Crawley, Brighton & Hove.

The build has begun in Fishbourne and Stockbridge meaning people in these areas will be the first to enjoy the benefits of full fibre once the network is live.

The work is being carried out by CCN Communications Ltd on behalf of CityFibre. The team will use a range of construction methods while working in close partnership with Chichester District Council, West Sussex County Council and local communities to deliver a fast rollout while minimising potential disruption.

Each area will usually take a few weeks to complete, however, construction teams will typically only be outside each home for two to three days and CityFibre will be in touch by post ahead of any work starting.

The overall project is expected to reach completion by late 2023 but services will go live incrementally much sooner. As the network is completed in each neighbourhood, internet service providers (ISPs) will ‘light them up’ to deliver some of the fastest and best value broadband packages available in the country.

Adrian Smith, CityFibre’s City Manager, said: “The next chapter in the digital future of Chichester begins today and I’m immensely proud to see work now underway. It’s important to remember that any short-term disruption will pay off tremendously in the long-term. We cannot wait for residents and businesses to see what is possible with digital connectivity that propels you forward rather than holds you back. And once the network’s built, it will serve the community’s connectivity needs for decades to come.”

Full fibre networks, unlike many of the copper-based ‘fibre broadband’ services available today, use 100% fibre optic cables to carry data at light speed all the way from the home to the point of connection. This gives users speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps for upload and download, near limitless bandwidth and connectivity users can depend on.

A full fibre connection also goes far beyond simply enabling access to the latest entertainment at lightning speed. As an essential digital utility, full fibre boosts households and businesses alike, with experts saying it will drive a range of economic benefits, such as making us more productive and innovative.

Speaking of CityFibre’s plans for Chichester, Cllr Tony Dignum, Cabinet Member for Growth, Place and Regeneration at Chichester District Council, said: “We are really excited about the opportunities that the full fibre broadband rollout in Chichester will bring for both our residents and businesses. This investment in gigabit enabled fibre connectivity will unlock huge potential for our businesses and homes, ensuring that Chichester continues to thrive in the digital age.”

In Chichester, services will be available from an increasing range of broadband providers. Across the UK, CityFibre is already working with launch partner Vodafone to supply full fibre infrastructure for customers on selected Vodafone Pro Broadband plans, and TalkTalk, while other providers are expected to join the network soon.

Residents interested in giving their home broadband a boost can find out more about the build and register their interest at cityfibre.com/your-street