It may be home to some of the most affluent parts of the country, but the south of England also contains a surprisingly high number of mobile connectivity notspots and places where it is challenging to gain gigabit broadband. Sensing an opportunity in the latter area, independent providers CityFibre and toob have unveiled extended network deployments and have added investments in the area.
Leading independent network provider CityFibre has revealed that after starting a £20m gigabit network building project in March 2021, it has now deployed full-fibre infrastructure in the Easthampstead, Harmans Water, Binfield, Birch Hill, Crown Wood, Great Hollands and Jennetts Park areas of the Berkshire town of Bracknell.
Following the new milestone, CityFibre’s roll-out is now moving into the Bullbrook, Warfield and Ascot areas. The roll-out is being completed by CityFibre’s build partner, Volker Highways, and is expected to reach completion by 2024. In Bracknell, customers can sign up for gigabit services from UK launch partner Vodafone on selected Vodafone Pro Broadband plans, as well as TalkTalk, Giganet and Zen, with other providers also available.
The CityFibre build team is working closely with Bracknell Forest Council to ensure any disruption is managed safely and efficiently. “CityFibre’s full-fibre roll-out is a very promising infrastructure upgrade for Bracknell,” said James Sunderland, member of Parliament for Bracknell, Crowthorne and Sandhurst. “Whilst I recognise that there has been some inconvenience to residents, it is undeniable that fast and reliable connectivity is so important in this digital age. Once CityFibre’s roll-out is complete, Bracknell Forest will be able to take advantage of all the productivity and innovation benefits it offers for residents and businesses.”
Around 15 miles to the south-east in neighbouring Surrey, local broadband provider toob has announced that it has invested £13m in a full-fibre network in Woking, offering connectivity to 32,000 homes and businesses.
“We are delighted that we will be able to offer our service to Woking. Toob has been built on our belief that access to fast, reliable broadband at an affordable price is a necessity in today’s increasingly digital world,” said toob CEO Nick Parbutt. “We are committed to delivering the fastest and most reliable service, using the latest full-fibre technology, at an affordable price. Customers will benefit from speeds of 900Mbps for only £25 per month on an 18-month contract, with no in-contract price rises. They can rely on toob to provide broadband that simply works.”
Based on the south coast, and with a complementary wholesale partnership with CityFibre, toob’s base started in Southampton, and its move into Woking comes on the heels of rapid growth from Hampshire and Surrey into Dorset and Sussex. After recently securing £300m funding, toob is expanding its compelling full-fibre broadband service to increase broadband accessibility and digital inclusion across the south of England.