CityFibre, the UK’s largest independent full fibre platform, has initiated a £10 million infrastructure rollout in Newark, aimed at providing full fibre connectivity to nearly every home and business in the town. This comprehensive project is set to future-proof Newark’s digital infrastructure for generations to come.
Construction of the town-wide full fibre network is underway, led by Trust Utility Management on behalf of CityFibre. The construction team will employ various methods while collaborating closely with Nottinghamshire County Council, Newark and Sherwood District Council, and local communities to ensure a swift rollout with minimal disruption.
While each area will typically take a few weeks to complete, construction teams will be stationed outside each home for only two to three days. CityFibre will notify residents by post before any work begins.
Although the overall project is expected to reach completion by mid-2024, the first services will become available much sooner. As each neighborhood’s network construction is finished, CityFibre will designate the homes as ‘ready for service,’ enabling residents to connect to full fibre-enabled broadband services as they go live in their area.
In Newark, a growing number of broadband providers will offer services over the new network. CityFibre is already partnering with Vodafone to provide full fibre infrastructure to customers on selected Vodafone Pro Broadband plans. Additionally, TalkTalk, IDNet, Giganet, Zen, and other providers are expected to join the network in the near future.
Dominika Walker, CityFibre’s Area Manager for Newark, expressed her excitement about the project and emphasized its significance for Newark’s digital transformation. She noted that the short-term disruption during construction would yield substantial long-term benefits, providing connectivity to the community for decades to come.
Walker also highlighted the partnership with Trust Utility Management, a trusted build partner in the region.
Full fibre networks, unlike many copper-based ‘fibre broadband’ services, rely on 100% fibre optic infrastructure to transmit data at lightning speed from the home to the point of connection. This technology offers speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps for both upload and download, nearly limitless bandwidth, and dependable connectivity.
A full fibre connection extends beyond enabling high-speed entertainment access. Recognized as an essential digital utility, full fibre enhances households and businesses, driving economic benefits, including increased productivity and innovation.
Councillor Rhona Holloway, Portfolio holder for Economic Development and Visitors at Newark and Sherwood District Council, stressed the importance of full fibre connectivity in securing Newark’s future. She emphasized that this infrastructure investment would benefit residents, services, and businesses, providing quicker broadband speeds and bolstering the town’s economic prospects.
CityFibre’s nationwide full fibre rollout aims to bring full fibre connectivity to up to eight million homes in towns and cities across the UK.
