CityFibre 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 government’s Project Gigabit.
The rollout was made possible by the £51 million Project Gigabit contract 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 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.
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 ISPs, including Vodafone, TalkTalk and Zen, as well as new providers. Sky’s Full Fibre Broadband will also become available on CityFibre’s full fibre network from next year.
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.”