Response to Spring Budget 2017

In response to todays’ Budget, which saw the Government announce the first steps of its £1bn commitment to digital infrastructure, including £200m for local projects aimed at stimulating investment in full fibre connectivity, Mark Collins, CityFibre’s Director of Strategy and Policy, commented: “We welcome the Chancellor’s Budget today, as a further vote of confidence in full fibre and the role it will play in Britain’s future as it seeks to spread opportunity at home and compete abroad. CityFibre is aleady building the full fibre networks capable of delivering the transformational gigabit connectivity needed for the UK to be a leading digital nation. The stimulus package that the Government first announced in the Autumn Statement – if rolled out fully and in the right way – will allow CityFibre to build further and faster, which is vitally important if the UK is to catch up with its international competitors and plug the ‘fibre gap’”. “Today we heard the first details about how some of this funding will be spent. CityFibre will now pick up its detailed discussions with Government to look at how the £200m available this year – as well as the £400m Digital Infrastucture Investment Fund to be announced soon – will enable our existing investment in full fibre connectivity to the public sector and local businesses to go even further.” Note for editors:

1. As the largest competitive investor in wholesale fibre infrastructure, CityFibre is already building the digital backbone the UK needs to deliver the government’s full fibre ambition. With infrastructure in 42 towns and cities across the UK, including 25 of the top 30 cities outside London, and an ambition to expand to 100 cities by 2025, thereby delivering true fibre connectivity to 60% of the UK’s businesses and 40% of homes outside London, CityFibre is well placed to underpin the UK’s digital ambitions.
2. “Fibre gap” – the UK currently lags at the bottom of the league table of OECD countries on full fibre deployment - Report