Thirteen teams up with CityFibre to bring Full Fibre broadband to 12,500 customers

Around 12,500 Thirteen Group customers in Middlesbrough are set to benefit from the fastest and most reliable digital connectivity available – thanks to a partnership between the landlord and housing developer and CityFibre, the UK’s third national digital infrastructure platform.

Through the partnership, CityFibre will ensure its full fibre network rollout reaches every Thirteen Group property in the city via a blanket wayleave agreement. Once complete, customers will be able to benefit from full fibre connectivity, which, currently, less than 20% of UK households can enjoy.

The project will continue over a number of years and will extend beyond Middlesbrough to give customers access to full fibre services in Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton, Hartlepool and surrounding areas across the North East, including Newcastle and Gateshead.

Full fibre is revered as the best in connectivity for its speed, near unlimited bandwidth and reliability. By using fibre optic cables for every stage of the connection from the customer’s home or business to the internet, users will be offered a significantly superior and more reliable broadband service, capable of Gigabit speeds (1,000 Mbps).

Steph Carter-Smith, CityFibre’s City Manager for Middlesbrough, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has proven just how vital connectivity is and so we are committed to addressing the need for better infrastructure, while also ensuring nobody is left behind. This agreement will make a genuine difference to Thirteen Group customers in Middlesbrough by ensuring they too can access Full Fibre services as they go live across their neighbourhood.”

More reliable connectivity allows customers to benefit from better home working, learning and entertainment experiences. CityFibre’s full fibre network is also future-proof, meaning that its capacity can be increased as the city’s data needs grow.

Helen Ivison, Thirteen’s Infrastructure Project Lead, added: “We’re delighted to be working in partnership with CityFibre to give thousands of our customers the opportunity to sign up to Gigabit-speed broadband.

“We’re all using technology much more these days in our daily lives, at home, work and school. We also recognise how an improved digital experience can benefit the customer journey and that’s why at Thirteen, we’ve created MyThirteen, which provides customers with a convenient way to find and manage their home online, all in one place.

“We have no doubt that this exciting project will make a real difference to our customers now and those we attract in the future and we look forward to continuing this partnership as CityFibre’s build enters the surrounding towns and cities.”

If you’re a landlord interested in connecting your properties to full fibre, please visit www.cityfibre.com/property

Residents interested in connecting to full fibre broadband can pre-register their interest at cityfibre.com/residential and they will receive information when services are available.