CityFibre, the UK’s leading independent full fibre platform, has successfully concluded the primary-build phase of its extensive full fibre network in Southend-on-Sea. This milestone marks a pivotal moment for the city, as over 70,000 homes, constituting approximately 90% of residential properties, along with key businesses, public sector facilities, and community sites, are now ‘ready for service.’ The completion of this project solidifies Southend-on-Sea’s status as one of the best-connected locations in the country.
Commencing in July 2019, the £51 million venture saw CityFibre deploy nearly 1,000km of dense full fibre infrastructure throughout the city. While the primary-build phase is concluded, CityFibre remains committed to exploring additional opportunities, targeting new developments, private or unadopted roads, and business parks.
Residents in Southend-on-Sea can now benefit from affordable, gigabit-capable, and reliable full fibre broadband through various Internet Service Providers (ISPs), including launch partners Vodafone, TalkTalk, Giganet, and Zen. Notably, all residences covered by the network can schedule a full fibre installation within a swift five working days of placing an order.
According to a recent report by consultancy firm Hatch, commissioned by CityFibre, Southend-on-Sea stands to gain substantial economic, social, and environmental advantages from its enhanced digital infrastructure. Projections indicate potential productivity and innovation gains exceeding £296 million, coupled with a £65 million boost from an expanded workforce over a 15-year period. Additionally, the enablement of 5G rollout alone could catalyze up to £705 million in positive economic impact.
Neil Madle, Partnership Manager for Southend-on-Sea at CityFibre, expressed excitement over the project’s completion, stating, “We’re thrilled that the primary-build of our full fibre network in Southend-on-Sea is now completed, marking an exciting new chapter for the city as it becomes one of the best-connected places in the UK. Now equipped with lightning-fast and highly reliable connectivity, the local community stands ready to reap the many productivity and innovation benefits that full fibre offers – we’re excited to watch as Southend-on-Sea makes the most of this new infrastructure.”
