‘Project Gigabit' work begins in Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes to connect rural areas to full fibre

CityFibre, the UK’s largest independent full fibre platform, has begun work to connect more than 25,000 homes and businesses across hard-to-reach areas of Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes to next generation, full fibre broadband as part of the government’s Project Gigabit.

The rollout in Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes was made possible by the £51m Project Gigabit award to CityFibre. Project Gigabit is the government-funded programme enabling hard-to-reach communities access fast, reliable gigabit-capable broadband, reaching parts of the UK that might otherwise miss out on upgrades to next-generation speeds.

CityFibre is also contributing its own investment to deliver the project and reach even more homes and businesses in the area. CityFibre’s ‘Project Gigabit’ rollouts are part of the company’s commitment to reach at least 8 million premises nationwide.

The 25,000 homes and businesses across hard-to-reach areas of Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes will have access to full fibre broadband for the first time, and this rollout marks the sixth of nine Project Gigabit delivery contracts secured by CityFibre, with the first Project Gigabit customers already connected in Cambridge, Norfolk and Suffolk.

CityFibre’s network provides residents and businesses with access to a wide range of Internet Service Providers, including well-known brands like Vodafone, TalkTalk and Zen as well as a number of exciting new providers. Sky’s Full Fibre Broadband will also become available on CityFibre’s full fibre network from next year.

Built using gold-standard XGS-PON technology, capable of supporting speeds of up to 10Gbps, CityFibre’s full fibre network will enable its current and future ISP partners to serve customers with far faster and more reliable broadband services than the legacy copper-based network currently available in the build areas.

Throughout the build, CityFibre will work closely with local stakeholders to ensure disruption is minimised and that the build is managed safely and efficiently. Residents and local businesses will be contacted ahead of any work starting.

Telecoms Minister Sir Chris Bryant said: "Thanks to our government-funded Project Gigabit rollout, the buffering nightmare will soon be a story of the past for hard-to-reach communities in Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes.

"We are providing households and businesses in these areas with the best internet speeds available, helping them to thrive in today’s digital world.”

Greg Mesch, Chief Executive Officer at CityFibre, said: "We're thrilled to deliver full fibre connectivity to underserved homes and businesses across Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes. This Project Gigabit rollout represents our dedication to repairing the digital divide, empowering rural communities to thrive with the advantages of advanced connectivity.”

Full fibre networks use 100% fibre optic technology to carry data at light speed all the way to the home or business, offering near limitless bandwidth and reliable connectivity.  People interested in upgrading to full fibre can find out more about the build, pre-register their interest and ensure they are updated on service availability at: www.cityfibre.com