Network operator MS3, which is building a new 10Gbps capable open access (wholesale) full fibre (FTTP / XGS-PON) broadband ISP network across 30 locations in the UK (mostly East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire), has signed a new partnership that will enable them to serve tenants of the Lincolnshire Housing Partnership (LHP).
The master wayleave agreement (i.e. a legal land / property access deal) is expected to benefit over 450 residents (social housing tenants) living in LHP’s low and medium-rise apartments in the Grimsby and Cleethorpes areas. The expansion with LHP will take the total number of Lincolnshire premises that can access MS3’s full fibre broadband to over 60,000, including a completed Scunthorpe build covering 37,000 premises.
The partnership with LHP comes shortly after MS3 was granted similar permission to install its full fibre network in low and mid-rise homes owned by Hull City Council in East Yorkshire (England).
Jo Fleming, Corporate Partnerships Manager at MS3, said:
“Digital exclusion caused by a lack of fast and reliable broadband is a problem that particularly affects social housing residents. In North East Lincolnshire, around one in eight households live in socially rented housing, so our partnership with LHP allows us to improve socialisation, education and job opportunities for residents.
But digital inclusion goes further than simply providing access to the infrastructure needed to get online, it’s about affordability. Due to our network of wholesale partners, residents will be able to choose a broadband option that suits their usage and budget needs, with an average annual saving of £200.”
The Asterion-backed operator currently aims to cover 535,000 UK premises by the end of 2025 – they’ve already covered 200,000 premises (171,814 Ready for Service). A big chunk of that has been happening in Hull, where the operator – based in the same city – has now seen its network rollout reach 113,000 premises passed (93,000 RFS) and local customers top 10,000. The gap between their Built and RFS figure partly reflects issues with gaining access to Multi-Dwelling Units (MDU).