Brighton could be one of the world’s best digitally connected cities as work on a full fibre network begins

The plan is to extend a full fibre network to reach almost every home and business locally.

As part of a £80m private investment from CityFibre, Brighton and Hove will benefit from a city-wide full fibre network roll-out. This will futureproof the area’s digital connectivity by ensuring its infrastructure can service the speed and bandwidth requirements of both residents and businesses for decades to come.

According to research from economic consultancy Regeneris, full fibre connectivity will have a major impact in Brighton and Hove over the next 15 years.

It shows that up to £213m could be added to the value of local homes, while Smart City initiatives could add as much as £71m locally. Access to full fibre could also unlock £62m in business productivity and innovation, while a further £30m in growth could be driven from new business start-ups, with enhanced connectivity making it easier and less expensive to set up base and run efficiently.

Construction work has officially commenced in the Bevendean area, with the rest of the city set to follow over the next 4 to 5 years.

Lanes-i is delivering the construction programme on CityFibre’s behalf, using modern build techniques to deploy the network quickly. The team is also working closely with CityFibre, Brighton & Hove City Council and local communities to manage disruption and ensure a fast and successful roll-out. Residents are being kept informed by mailings ahead of works in their streets.

Anne Krause, CityFibre’s City Manager for Brighton and Hove, said: “It is exciting to be part of bringing a first-class Full Fibre network to the vibrant and diverse area of Brighton & Hove. We are building future-proof infrastructure to support the digital needs of residents, both now and in the future, ensuring that the area can continue to embrace digital developments at home, work and in our leisure time as data consumption grows.

“The investment also comes at a critical time of economic recovery. Next generation Full Fibre connectivity can drive innovation and productivity, ultimately giving businesses the platform they need to realise their growth ambitions, while also creating the conditions for new start-up activity and investment. We look forward to working with Brighton & Hove Council, residents, businesses and the wider community to harness the power of Full Fibre.”

Brighton and Hove City Council Leader, Phélim MacCafferty, added: “It’s great news that the city will soon have access to faster, more reliable internet connection speeds. Known as full fibre, this represents real progress, not just for our residents but it will play an incredibly important part in supporting the local economy as we plan our recovery from the pandemic.

“Working with our partners at the Greater Brighton Economic Board, we have been pushing for faster and better internet connection for a number of years. This is a significant investment, and, while there may be some disruption during installation, we have been assured by CityFibre that this will be kept to a minimum.”

“The benefits of full fibre will be important for the city’s economy in both the short and long term and we’re looking forward to working with CityFibre on this exciting roll-out.”

Currently, fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) is available to less than 20 per cent of premises across the UK. It is revered as the best in connectivity for its speed, near unlimited bandwidth and reliability. By using fibre optic cables for every stage of the connection from the customer’s home or business to the Internet, users will be offered a significantly superior and more reliable broadband service, capable of Gigabit speeds (1,000 Mbps).

The network is not yet live, but once activated, services will be available from an increasing range of broadband providers. Across the UK, CityFibre is already working with launch partner Vodafone to deliver next generation broadband services, with TalkTalk and other providers expected to join the network soon.

Residents interested in connecting to full fibre broadband can pre-register their interest at cityfibre.com/residential and they will receive information when services are available.

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