Commsworld has transformed Northumberland County Council’s digital infrastructure with the recent completion of its core network build construction, ensuring residents benefit from better connectivity.
The company has replaced Northumberland’s WAN, laying 262km of new full-fibre infrastructure delivered as a result of Commsworld’s 20-year strategic partnership with Northumberland County Council.
It means employees in 150 council sites are now connected to network infrastructure, while around 115 Northumberland schools have access to faster speeds, providing a boost to digital learning in the county.
The infrastructure is also delivering further digital improvements thanks to Commsworld’s partnership with local ISP Alncom.
The partnership has brought in local investment using funding from the UK’s Project Gigabit scheme, prioritising connecting 50,000 rural properties in the county.
As a result, many residential and business properties have gained access to FTTP for the first time, tackling the digital divide across the county.
Commsworld is also working in partnership with the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE) and Community Action Northumberland (CAN), funding a project which will recruit and train volunteer Digital Champions to engage in rural communities to improve digital skills and confidence.
NICRE will also be carrying out a three-year study to capture learning and impact of the project, providing a blueprint for digital inclusion and maximising the social value of improved digital connectivity.
Cllr Wojciech Ploszaj, Cabinet Member for Corporate Services at Northumberland County Council, said: “This enhanced digital infrastructure will enable us to improve educational resources and support local businesses by providing access to the fastest internet speeds available.”
Stephen Pinchen, Managing Director of Alncom, said: “Working closely with Project Gigabit has allowed us to deliver broadband to rural communities previously considered too costly to build full fibre infrastructure.”
