65,000 homes and businesses will have access to full fibre by 2021 – that was the message delivered by WightFibre’s CEO, John Irvine, during a special ‘Gigabit Island’ briefing event earlier this month.
Over 50 specially invited guests including councilors, leading businesses, business groups and the media gathered at Cineworld in Newport to hear about the roll out of the £35million project.
Some 750million metres of fibre optic cable will be laid in more than 500,000 metres of trenches to deliver speeds of 1000mbp/s into properties across the Isle of Wight. And it is all happening sooner than you may think…
Pilot projects have already been taking place at Gurnard Pines and in the Staplers area of Newport, with the roll out of further phases now ready to commence. East Cowes is the next town to receive the upgrade with other towns set to follow suit in a clockwise direction from January 2019. Some 4,000 properties a month will be added to the rapidly growing network.
Properties in The Bay and Ventnor areas will be full fibre ready by December 2020.
The availability of full fibre for those living in the West Wight will be slightly different. Investigations are currently underway to decide on the most appropriate way of delivering incredible speeds to some of the Island’s most rural towns and villages. The upgrading of public sector buildings is being explored to see if they can act as a local network hub.
Speaking about the event, John Irvine comments:
“It was a great opportunity to update key stakeholders on the Gigabit Island project, especially as we now start the full rollout in Newport to deliver a digital Island fit for the 21st century. Something that will help the island grow, develop and be a great place to live and work.”
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This was the first in a number of briefings that will be held by WightFibre over the course of the Gigabit Island project rollout; ensuring that all stakeholders and communities have the opportunity to find out more and take fuller advantage of this new full fibre network that gives the island some of the fastest broadband speeds in the world with broadband fit for the 21st century.
Anyone interested in find out more about Gigabit Island and receiving the new gigabit broadband services can register their interest at www.wightfibre.com/gigabitisland.
