Quickline Communications has taken a significant step towards enhancing broadband connectivity in rural communities with the launch of its in-house Build Team. This infrastructure team is tasked with establishing the fibre networks that will deliver fast and reliable broadband to underserved regions.
The newly-formed Build Team, which includes roles such as civils operatives, cablers, and splicers, commenced its initial project after recruitment began in October last year. This move signifies Quickline’s commitment to providing gigabit-capable broadband to remote communities, with the team playing a pivotal role in the accelerated rollout program planned for 2023 and beyond.
Lee Allison, Chief Operating Officer at Quickline, highlighted the importance of this investment, underlining the company’s dedication to bringing digital opportunities to remote communities. He also emphasized the positive impact on the local economy through job creation and development opportunities within Quickline.
Currently, the Build Team is active at sites in South Ferriby, near Barton-upon-Humber in North Lincolnshire, as well as Tealby and North Willingham, near Market Rasen in Lincolnshire. These locations are undergoing a test, rod, and roping (TRR) phase, with the promise of full fibre broadband access for all homes and businesses later this year. Quickline’s service offers speeds of up to 1 Gbps, a substantial improvement over the current average speeds of 30 to 50 Mbps provided by other providers in these areas.
The Build Team will be a critical component of Quickline’s 2023 fibre rollout plan, leveraging XGS-PON technology to deliver broadband speeds of up to 10 Gbps to over 55,000 homes and businesses this year. In 2022, Quickline made substantial progress by providing access to full fibre broadband for more than 10,000 homes and businesses across 20 communities.
Quickline’s mission is to address the digital divide in rural areas of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. They have already connected over 300,000 premises with their next-generation fixed wireless broadband network and are in the process of merging it with a full fibre network, creating the UK’s sole gigabit hybrid network.
Chris Akrill, Head of Fibre Operations at Quickline, expressed excitement about the Build Team’s potential to accelerate their full fibre rollout, citing the impressive qualifications and experience of the team members. Dave Liversedge, a recent addition to the Build Team as a Cable Operative, shared his enthusiasm for contributing to Quickline’s mission of bringing full fibre broadband to new rural communities.
