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Network operator CityFibre has today announced that the first customers have gone live on their new 10Gbps capable full fibre (FTTP) broadband ISP network in Hampshire (England), which is being built as part of their £104m state aid supported Project Gigabit contract (Lot 27) – this aims to reach more than 75,000 extra premises across hard-to-reach rural areas.
The operator, which is supported by ISPs like Vodafone, TalkTalk, Zen Internet and many more (Sky Broadband to go live soon), already covers around 4.4 million (4.2m RFS) UK premises with full fibre broadband – mostly in urban areas – and their ambition is to cover up to 8m (funded by c.£2.4bn in equity, c.£4.9bn debt and nearly £1bn of BDUK / public subsidy) – representing c.30% of the UK.
Over the past couple of years, CityFibre has also secured ten Project Gigabit contracts. In total, over 1.3 million additional homes and businesses stand to benefit from CityFibre’s Project Gigabit rollout over the next 5-years, with the latest project area to start going live being within their Hampshire patch.
The first homes have just been connected on Hayling Island, which sits just off the south coast of England. Build completion on the Hampshire contract was originally anticipated for March 2029 (here).
Telecoms Minister Chris Bryant, said:
“Communities across remote parts of Hampshire will soon see the back of connectivity drop-outs and constant buffering with this installation of lightning-fast broadband.
We recently launched our Digital Inclusion Action Plan, setting out our next steps to shrink the digital gap. Today’s news is a fantastic example of how a Government-backed contract will help ensure people in rural areas are not left behind and have the tools they need to work and thrive in the digital age.”
Simon Holden, Group Chief Operations Officer at CityFibre, said:
“Reliable, high-speed broadband is more than just a convenience, it’s a necessity for work, education and everyday life. Thanks to this investment from Project Gigabit, Hampshire is set to reap the benefits of full fibre and unlock better opportunities for residents and businesses. CityFibre is proud to provide this essential infrastructure to drive digital progress and support the local community’s future.”
The subsidy from BDUK also compliments CityFibre’s own commercial investment across the area of Havant, which will enable even more areas of Hampshire to access full fibre broadband. CityFibre is based in London and is owned by funds managed by Antin Infrastructure Partners, Infrastructure at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Mubadala Investment Company, Interogo Holding, Newlight Partners and PATRIZIA’s European Infrastructure Fund II.