Fibrespeed, the operator of an open access 100Mbps fibre optic broadband network set to connect North Wales with super-fast Internet connectivity from Q1 2009, has signed up nine service providers ahead of its official launch on 27th November.

The project is part of a £30m investment in fibre by the Welsh Assembly Government, the European Regional Development Fund and Geo Networks Ltd. It will allow competing commercial service providers to supply high speed broadband services to businesses in North Wales at competitive rates.

The first wave of Fibrespeed service providers are Advanced Information Systems (AIS), Carrier Wales, Data Cymru, Geo, Hostinguk.net, iData, Comms Management, Integratek and NetServe. Fibrespeed expects to have in the region of twelve providers confirmed prior to launch:


Fibrespeed claims it can change this situation by using high capacity optical fibre infrastructure and Ethernet technologies providing speeds of up to 1 GB/s. ISPs will also be able to offer highly competitive services through a wholesale pricing structure that is comparable to that offered in London and the South East England.

Service providers will even be able to extend network reach to more rural areas throughout the region via their own network infrastructure or wireless solutions.