Author: Full Fibre

Fibre Heroes delivers more choice for consumers with Fibre Heroes’ lightening-fast broadband

In a first for 50 towns in England, residents and businesses can now access full fibre, or FTTP, with multiple providers, bringing better value gigabit-capable internet to the town.

From 7 November, over 100,000 residents and businesses in 50 towns will benefit from this increased choice and availability. They will have access to 12 different full fibre broadband providers on Fibre Heroes’ gigabit-capable service – bringing significantly more reliable broadband and better consumer choice.

The availability of full fibre infrastructure is often identified as key to delivering economic growth, as set out in the Government’s plan to extend local full fibre networks across the UK.

Brought to these 50 towns by the full fibre network provider known as Fibre Heroes, the service is different to BT’s network, which national service providers (like Sky) sell their services on. This new infrastructure is a Government-backed upgrade to the UK’s old copper network, and a lot of the current partial fibre network. Meaning it’s genuinely full fibre (all the way to the home) and not a partial upgrade as lots in the area will have today.

Managing Director of Fibre Heroes, James Warner, comments, “We’re really pleased to bring the residents and businesses of these 50 towns more choice in their broadband provider, stimulating competition and making available best-in-class internet services for the area. We know access to ultrafast connectivity has a real-world positive impact on how communities operate and the way we live our lives, so we’re proud to be able to deliver improved services for many people up and down the UK”.
Full fibre is a more reliable internet service and allows up to 1Gbps download speeds for those homes and businesses using its network. However, this newly available service may not be available through all broadband companies, so it’s important to check which ones can now offer the service.

To find out more about the services on offer, and whether your property of home is eligible for the upgrade, click here

FullFibre and Digital Infrastructure consolidate to form a leading alternative network in the UK fibre market.

Basalt Infrastructure Partners LLP (Basalt) announces Basalt Infrastructure Partners Fund III (a fund advised by Basalt) is bringing FullFibre and Digital Infrastructure together in a move that will create a single wholesale platform and a bigger, more ambitious entity in the UK fibre market.

Basalt today announces the merger of its two UK fibre to the premises network operators, Digital Infrastructure and FullFibre.

The merger happens as a pro-active move in the competitive UK fibre market, bringing greater scale and combining routes to market for these established fibre assets.

The combined business, to be led by CEO Oliver Helm, will integrate Digital Infrastructure’s and FullFibre’s existing footprint and continue the build out in more rural regions. It will create a highly complementary network and take advantage of FullFibre’s wholesale-first strategy.

The merger will also create one of the larger offerings by UK altnets, with a network accessible by over 250,000 homes and businesses Ready for Service (RFS) today, with an ambition to deliver 1 million live premises through a wholesale business model.

The internet service provider (ISP) of Digital Infrastructure, BeFibre, which today provides retail services via both the FullFibre and Digital Infrastructure networks, will remain part of the group as a customer of the enhanced wholesale platform.

Headline Numbers:

– Over 250,000 RFS premises available today, with over 300,000 to be available by the end of the year.
– A combined build rate of up to 40,000 new RFS per month.
– 67 towns actively in build or nearing completion.

Commenting on the merger, Wil Jones, Partner at Basalt, said, “The UK fibre sector is maturing and, through this merger, we will create a business with substantial scale, under a single wholesale platform. This will ensure long-term success and strengthen our position in the market to accelerate the plans of both businesses”.

“This consolidation places us well to take advantage of opportunities in the UK fibre market and continue our investment in network rollout across the UK, enhancing the platform’s ability to deliver increasingly essential fibre infrastructure in historically under-served areas.”

Oliver Helm, CEO at FullFibre, also comments, “Both Digital Infrastructure and FullFibre have built exceptionally skilled teams, with complementary capabilities. Together, we will accelerate the pace at which we roll out and connect customers to our fibre network. The merged organisation will sit in the top tier of well-established, alternative networks. With this substantive scale, we will continue our single-minded focus on delivering exceptional network infrastructure to our ISPs, and their customers and communities in turn”.

FullFibre launches a brand new Community Investment Fund to promote digital connectivity in its build towns.

The Community Investment Fund will be open to both local charities and organisations to request funding for projects that enhance the prosperity and growth of their hometown. The scope of the Fund is broad, and applicants are encouraged to use their imagination about the types of projects that could be funded.

This could be a significant investment tool for local communities, and to access funding, potential recipients can apply here, providing details of the activity, the scope to support local people and the location of their project.

The first project to be approved is the Badsey & Aldington Community Computer Club, which supports people in the Badsey and wider Evesham area to learn how to use the internet. The money raised from FullFibre’s Community Investment Fund will enable the club to buy new equipment and increase the support they can provide to the local community.

Councillor Alan Tutton comments, “It is brilliant to have access to a fund that is designed solely to support local communities, and we are so pleased to be the first project approved for funding. This grant will now enable us to reach out to more individuals around the Evesham area and support them in building up their skills and confidence when using the internet”.

Matt Smith, Head of Public Procurement and Engagement at FullFibre, comments, “Every project is individually assessed, and we will do our best to put the Community Investment Fund to good use: to make sure it benefits as many of the 80 plus towns that we are active in as we can”.

Oliver Helm, CEO at FullFibre also comments, “We are thrilled to announce the launch of our Community Investment Fund. This is a real force for good and a brilliant opportunity for us to get more involved with the communities we are working in.

“Investing in building digital capacity and better connectivity, whatever that looks like, is a very exciting place to start a project. I’m genuinely looking forward to receiving our first set of applications, and we can’t wait to get started”.

For further information on the criteria and available funding for the Fibre Heroes Community Investment Fund, please visit: https://fibreheroes.co.uk/community-investment-fund/.

With the latest announcement from the UK Telecoms regulator, Ofcom, the end of confusing jargon in the fibre sector could be on the horizon. Albeit that consumers will have to wait until the autumn, at the earliest, for this to be enforced.

However, Ofcom has announced that it recognises the need for clarity around what fibre and full fibre really is. With legacy networks existing alongside full fibre, and with these often being a mix of both, consumers need to be given the right information about what it is they are buying.

Ofcom note, “Ofcom research has found that only 46% of customers who reported being on full-fibre broadband were living in areas where it is actually available.[1]” and, “In addition, more than a quarter (27%) of broadband customers lacked confidence in understanding the language and terminology used by providers.[2]”.

In summary, they are stating that internet providers use clear information, with industry references to the type of network consistent across the sector. So, no more fibre or full fibre unless a connection is actually FTTP. They state, “So, we are proposing new guidance to ensure providers give information on the underlying technology of the broadband connection using one or two consistent terms. Providers should also give a more detailed explanation of these terms in a format that is readily accessible to customers.”

This is great news for altnets, who have spent years campaigning for a clearer message in light of the larger incumbent providers using confusing terminology when selling connections to their customers. The hope is, that with a better understanding of what they are really getting, customers will become more mobile and more likely to make the switch to genuine full fibre.

James Warner, CSO at FullFibre comments on this latest announcement, “After years of suffering confusing jargon, customers can now breathe a sigh of relief that there will be some clarity when it comes to what they might actually be getting when they buy broadband. It has taken far too long for Ofcom to announce this, and it won’t come into force until the autumn, at the earliest, so a few more months of miss-leading the consumer left and then we can all be clear on what Fibre actually is.

“Hopefully this is the start of some clarity and consistency across the sector, which won’t just help the consumer, but start to de-mystify something that should be simple and for the benefit of all.”

Gigabit Networks is the latest Internet Service Provider (ISP) to join FullFibre’s partner programme to deliver ultrafast, reliable internet connections via their fibre network.

This new partnership is a further expansion to FullFibre’s ISP partner network, and follows previous new partner announcements for IDNet, Link Broadband, OctaPlus and Zybre. FullFibre has added five new ISP partners to its network since July 2022, all of which significantly increase its national offering to clients.

The wholesale network provider is currently working to connect its telecoms network to more than 80 market towns across 11 counties in the UK. This latest news follows a year of strong growth for the company, which has 34 of its 80 towns actively in build or connecting customers.

To support its progress, the business saw its headcount increase by 61% in 2022, as it gains significant momentum to continue to build at pace in many underserved areas in the UK.

Commenting on the new partnership, Head of Wholesale at FullFibre, Matt Baker, said “With our national network growing at pace, it is really reassuring to be partnering with Gigabit Networks, who are known for providing quality internet services.

“This addition to our rapidly growing partner programme means we can offer even more choice to residents and businesses across the Midlands, and supplements our overall offering in the towns we operate in”.

David Yates, co-founder of Gigabit Networks also comments, “Having recently been voted ‘Best Internet Service Provider (ISP) in the Midlands’, Gigabit Networks is on a mission to empower the region with faster internet connectivity. This new partnership with FullFibre will help us to reach this goal and reflects our shared values when it comes to transforming lives through high-quality digital services”.

FullFibre is a wholesale telecoms network provider, operating under the customer-facing brand Fibre Heroes, to connect the historically overlooked towns of the UK with an ultrafast broadband connection.

Gigabit Networks is the Gigabit Fibre Internet Champion for the Midlands. They aim to empower the Midlands with faster, future-proofed, ultra-reliable internet connectivity and unlock the possibilities that come with gigabit-capable fibre broadband.

FullFibre’s ISP partners now include BeFibre, Gigabit Networks, IDNet, Link Broadband, Merula, OctaPlus, Redline and Squirrel.

Wholesale network provider FullFibre further strengthens the rollout of its gigabit capable internet service by adding two new partners to its ISP network.

The latest expansion of FullFibre’s Internet Service Provider (ISP) network includes Link Broadband and OctaPlus, and follows previous announcements for IDNet and Zybre. These four new partners significantly increase FullFibre’s national offering.

The wholesale network provider is currently working to connect its telecoms network to more than 80 market towns across 11 counties in the UK. This latest news follows a year of strong growth for the company, which has 34 of its 80 towns actively in build or connecting customers.

To support its progress, the business has seen its headcount increase by 61% in 2022, as it gains significant momentum to continue to build at pace in many underserved areas in the UK.

James Warner, CSO at FullFibre comments, “We are really pleased to be working with these new partners, all of whom bring more choice to customers looking to connect to the FullFibre network. A big part of our ethos at FullFibre is to level the digital landscape across the UK.

“By securing a future-proof full fibre internet connection in our regions for decades to come, and doing so with a range of ISP partners to choose from, we are creating both more choice and opportunity in these overlooked areas”.

CEO of FullFibre, Oliver Helm, also comments, “Bringing on new partners is just one aspect of our growth this year, as we work to connect the hard-to-reach towns and villages typically over-looked by larger providers.  I am wholly proud of the work we have been doing here at FullFibre, and I am really looking forward to further successes in 2023 as we continue to build at pace”.

Link Broadband is an internet service provider offering full fibre residential broadband packages to homes and businesses, enabling their customers to harness the potential of the Internet.

OctaPlus is a nationwide internet service provider which aims to provide outstanding customer support, alongside industry leading prices and outstanding value for money, to its customers.

FullFibre’s ISP partners now include BeFibre, IDNet, Link Broadband, Merula, OctaPlus, Redline and Squirrel.

Wholesale network provider FullFibre is investing £6.6 million into building a full fibre network in Oswestry, with services now live.

The first homes and business in the town are now live, with plans to make 100% of the town live by mid 2023. This long-anticipated upgrade to the current network means that residents in Oswestry will have access to 100% fibre optic ultrafast internet, capable of download speeds that are 20 times faster than the national average.

Oswestry is one of a number of Shropshire towns being served by FullFibre, whose mission is to connect the underserved towns of the UK with superior broadband.

With a build cadence in excess of 10,000 properties per month, FullFibre is well on track to succeed in its ambition to build to half a million premises by 2025. The network provider has been working to build these challenging networks at pace, and with the latest new ISP partner announcement they are well positioned to scale up their offering going into 2023.

CSO of FullFibre, James Warner, comments, “We are really proud to be rolling out our wholesale only fibre network to Oswestry, where local homes and business can now access these ultrafast connections and be a leading UK town when it comes to digital services.

The internet is an integral part of daily life, and it has a real impact on how communities operate and the way we live our lives. Everyone has the right to the best internet connection possible, and we can’t wait to serve that through our partner community to local residents”.

North Shropshire MP, Helen Morgan, comments, “The pandemic demonstrated just how reliant we all are on good connectivity and as we move forward that dependence will only increase.  The fibre to the cabinet, copper to the home service which most people currently use is already not fit for purpose for many.  Seeing Oswestry at the front of the queue for ‘Fibre to the Premise’ is really exciting and it’s encouraging to know how many other communities in the constituency are also in line to benefit from the same services in the future.”

Local business and residents can access these new services through any broadband provider active in the area including BeFibre, IDNet, Link Broadband, Merula, OctaPlus, Redline and Squirrel.

To stay up to date with the progress of the build in Oswestry and the rest of the country, register your details on the Fibre Heroes website.

FullFibre is building in Matlock to deliver ultrafast broadband services that will go live in early 2023.

The wholesale network provider, FullFibre, is currently working to connect its wholesale telecoms network to more than 80 market towns across 11 counties in the UK. Building at pace in many underserved areas in the UK, it is providing a much-needed upgrade to the country’s digital infrastructure.

With services due to go live early next year (2023), Matlock residents will have access to ultrafast internet for the first time. The roll out will be in stages, with all residents and businesses across the town able to access the full fibre internet by the middle of 2023.

Commenting on the progress of the build in Matlock, Adele Whild, COO, said, “We are really pleased to be building our full fibre network here in Matlock, which continues at pace. This is part of an on-going roll-out, with the first homes due to go live early in 2023”.

Once live, local businesses and residents will be able to access these new services through one of FullFibre’s ISP partners BeFibre, IDNet, Link Broadband, Merula, OctaPlus, Redline and Squirrel.

Link Broadband is the latest Internet Service Provider (ISP) to join FullFibre’s partner programme to deliver ultrafast, reliable internet connections via the FullFibre network.

This latest partnership is a further expansion of FullFibre’s ISP partner network, and follows previous partner announcements this year for IDNet and Zybre.

FullFibre is a wholesale telecoms network provider, operating under the customer-facing brand Fibre Heroes, to connect the historically overlooked towns of the UK with an ultrafast broadband connection.

Link Broadband is an internet service provider offering full fibre residential broadband packages to homes and businesses, enabling their customers to harness the potential of the Internet.

Matt Baker, Head of Wholesale at FullFibre, comments on the partnership, “Link Broadband’s partnership with us is a great sign of the momentum here at FullFibre, Like us, Link Broadband want to make ultrafast internet easily accessible. We are really pleased to be part of their national network and to be able to offer Link Broadband’s attractive services to the residents of our build towns”.

Geo John Pandekkatt, CTO of Link broadband also comments, “We are extremely happy and grateful to have the opportunity to cooperate with FullFibre to provide complete fibre broadband to UK residential and businesses. Within the FullFibre network area, our network may offer connections to residential customers at 1 Gbps complete fibre and companies at 10 Gbps.”

FullFibre’s ISP partners now include BeFibre, IDNet, Link Broadband, Merula, Redline and Squirrel.

The town of Alfreton can now experience gigabit speeds thanks to our Fibre Heroes.

A reliable FTTP broadband connection in Alfreton means many residents and businesses can now take full advantage of ultrafast internet and avoid pained connectivity issues.

Ultrafast internet in towns like Alfreton can offer digital opportunities for businesses in the area as well as drastically improve the connection for those working from home.

We’ve worked hard to complete this build providing access to full fibre broadband with over 4,000 properties now live across Somercotes, Leabrooks, Riddings and Swanwick.

Our mission also helps to promote our ISP partners through our Fibre Heroes marketing campaign, targeting locations across Derbyshire and the Midlands to increase market competition and provide more choice for customers.

Our CSO, James Warner stated:

“Putting towns and communities live and providing more opportunities for our partners is the really exciting bit about what we do. Connecting customers to a true 21st century network is what we are all here for and the opportunity for our partners and the towns we cover is growing day by day.”

With our mission to connect underserved areas, we plan to reach the rest of Alfreton in the near future so all residents can join the internet revolution.