A recent survey from bOnline has shown that many SMEs are unsure about the availability of altnet in their area, with confusion over the UK’s broadband roll-out strategy.
Wed, 9/08/2023 - 10:10
WightFibre’s Gigabit Island Project is nearing completion with its network now passing 57,000 premises on the Isle of Wight.
Cables have been laid to a further 10,000 homes with service to those premises set to become available in the next eight months.
WightFibre has dug a total of 560km of trenches to date out of an expected total of 600km.
To date, the UK government has allocated £10m in funding as part of the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme for the Isle of Wight to extend coverage to 24,000 premises in hard-to-reach areas.
This includes Haven Street, Wroxhall, Chale, and Mottistone. Service recently became available in Totland Bay, Freshwater Bay, Bembridge, Whitwell, Alverstone and St Helens.
BDUK Chair Simon Blagden and Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely visited WightFibre in Totland Bay and Freshwater Bay to see some of the areas that have benefitted from voucher funding.
Seely said: “When we’re finished, much of the Island will have some of the best connectivity and fastest broadband speeds anywhere in the world. Most rural parts of the UK won’t have the fibre-to-premises as we do on the Island for many years.”
Pictured: Cecilia Barrett, BDUK, Councillor Karen Lucioni, Isle of Wight Council, Simon Blagden, Chair BDUK, Marcus Green, WightFibre, Bob Seely MP, Chris Newte, WightFibre, John Irvine, CEO WightFibre.
