Oxfordshire, UK – Over 55,000 homes and businesses in Oxfordshire now have access to some of the fastest and most dependable broadband services in Europe, courtesy of Openreach, the UK’s leading digital network provider.
The initial beneficiaries of this high-speed technology reside in Banbury and Thame, with thousands more across areas like Abingdon, Bicester, Wantage, and Witney set to follow suit in the next 18 months. Openreach engineers are actively expanding this new network throughout the county, aiming to bring ultrafast connectivity to even more locations. Openreach has unveiled an enhanced map of its announced exchanges on its website, allowing consumers to check what infrastructure is available at their address through the Openreach fibre checker.
This achievement has been made possible through an investment of approximately £16.5 million, a joint effort by Openreach and Oxfordshire County Council’s Digital Infrastructure Oxfordshire program.
The Full Fibre network being rolled out is a substantial upgrade, delivering speeds up to ten times faster than the average UK broadband connection and boasting five times greater reliability than the older copper-based networks it replaces. Despite these significant advantages, tens of thousands of residents and businesses in Oxfordshire have yet to make the transition to this new technology.
Kasam Hussain, Openreach’s partnership director for the South of England, commented on the impact of this network, stating, “Research shows that this new network will give businesses an edge and give families and home-workers future-proofed connectivity, no matter what life throws at us next.”
Hussain also highlighted Openreach’s continued commitment to investing in Oxfordshire and delivering a service that supports communities, enables remote work, and fosters connections and opportunities.
Councillor Glynis Phillips, cabinet member for corporate services at Oxfordshire County Council, emphasized the significance of Full Fibre broadband for the region. She applauded the collaborative efforts between the council and Openreach, which have enabled thousands of local individuals and businesses to access gigabit-capable broadband speeds.
