Wildanet and Nokia partner for Cornish broadband rollout push 

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Wildanet, which was founded in 2017 and has received nearly £100 million of investment since 2020, and is now the largest altnet in Cornwall 

Cornwall-based broadband provider Wildanet has partnered with  Nokia to accelerate the deployment of its gigabit-enabled full fibre network in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. 

Wildanet has commissioned Nokia to project manage the delivery of the next phase of its full fibre network deployment, from initial planning through to final testing. This will be supported by international network infrastructure specialists Xantaro, who will source, build and install all necessary communications cabinets. 

“This agreement with Nokia, supported by Xantaro, represents a major step forward for Wildanet and Cornwall in attracting a global partner to work with us to deploy a world class broadband network for the county,” said Justin Clark, Wildanet’s Chief Strategy & Technology Officer in a press release. 

“This partnership highlights our commitment to using our global expertise and technological capabilities to improve connectivity in rural and underserved areas of the UK. By combining our methodologies with Wildanet’s local knowledge, we aim to enhance the digital landscape in the South West,” said Phil Siveter, Nokia CEO for UK and Ireland. 

Last month, Wildanet secured £35 million of investment from the UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB), which will be used to expand the company’s fibre-to-the-premise (FTTP) network to an additional 20,000 premises. This is in addition to the £41 million the company was awarded by Project Gigabit earlier this year. 

“The nature of Cornwall’s location and its geography makes it one of the most difficult to reach places for internet providers and as a result has lower speeds than the UK average,” explained Ian Brown, UKIB’s Head of Banking and Investment.  

“Our financing for Wildanet’s rollout will support communities and grow economies that would otherwise miss out on the benefits associated with improved connectivity,” he continued. 

Back in January, Wildanet achieved B-Corp status, becoming the first altnet in the UK to receive the certification. The accolade indicates the company has met high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. In the process of achieving B-Corp status, Wildanet also pledged to help 23 Cornish businesses to do likewise as part of its B23 initiative, which earned it the Sustainability Award at last year’s Connected Britain Awards. 

Join us at this year’s Connected Britain, 11-12 September in London. Get your tickets here! 

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