Openreach Expand Project Gigabit Broadband Build in Staffordshire and Lancashire UK

Network operator Openreach (BT) has issued a progress update on their ongoing roll-out of a new Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) based broadband ISP network in rural parts of Staffordshire and Lancashire (England), which forms part of their Project Gigabit contracts with the government (these entered the construction phase earlier this year).

We’ll start with the usual recap. Over the past 1-2 years Openreach has been selected to deliver all of Project Gigabit’s Cross-Regional (Type C) procurements (here, here and here) via a Single Supplier Framework agreement (here) – currently reflecting £745m in total public subsidy to help upgrade 297,000 premises to full fibre technology in some of the hardest to reach parts of rural England, Scotland and Wales (i.e. premises with no prior access to gigabit connectivity).

The areas covered by these Type C contracts typically reflect locations where no or no appropriate market interest had previously been expressed before to the Government’s umbrella Building Digital UK (BDUK) agency, or areas that have been de-scoped or terminated from a prior plan. Areas like the ones above are often skipped due to being too expensive (difficult) for smaller suppliers. All the other Project Gigabit contracts have gone to smaller alternative networks (altnets).

Openreach actually entered the build phase for their related contracts in Wales, Lancashire, Devon, Wiltshire, Hertfordshire and Staffordshire a few months ago (here). But the operator has today issued a couple of progress updates, which revealed the next batches of locations to be targeted by their ongoing deployment in Staffordshire and Lancashire.

Openreach’s Project Gigabit Progress (Next Locations)

Staffordshire

Openreach engineers are expected to reach more properties in and around Wolseley Bridge, Acton Trussell, Acton Gate, Bednall, Bednall Head, Brocton, Dunston, Dunston Heath, Penkridge, Rodbaston, Stretton, Hatherton, Cannock, Rugeley and Calf Heath.

Lancashire

Openreach engineers are expected to reach more properties in and around Newchurch-in-Pendle, Roughlee, Fence, Barnoldswick, Oswaldtwistle, Great Harwood, Pendleton, West Bradford, Waddington, Twiston, Rimington, Gisburn, Whalley, Trawden, Foulridge, Barrowford, Bracewell, Blackrod, Simonswood, Bickerstaffe, Scarisbrick, Cockerham, Barton, Scorton, Eagland Hill, Woodplumpton, Greenhalgh, Longton, Little Hoole, Hoghton, Bamber Bridge, Chorley, Heath Charnock, Anglezarke, Appley Bridge, Wrightington, Dalton, Skelmersdale and Lathom.

In total, Openreach’s Full Fibre network now reaches more than 340,000 properties across Staffordshire and more than 570,000 properties across Lancashire, although these totals also include their existing commercial deployments and coverage.

Telecoms Minister, Liz Lloyd, said:

“Whether it’s families streaming together, farmers being able to use new technology, or businesses reaching more customers online, this upgrade creates real opportunities for communities across Staffordshire.

By delivering infrastructure that will serve these communities for decades to come, we’re making sure everyone can benefit from the digital world, no matter where they live.”

Kasam Hussain, Openreach Partnership Director, said:

“We’re bringing faster, more reliable broadband to some of the most rural properties in the region and letting local people know what to expect. This is a major infrastructure upgrade, so there will be more engineering teams, equipment and vans around town, and we’re working hard to keep disruption to a minimum.

Wherever possible, we’ll use our existing network of ducts and poles to avoid roadworks, new street furniture and disturbance. But there may be places where we need to install new poles, underground ducts and fibre cables because it’s the only way to make sure households get included in the upgrade.

Openreach is committed to building the best full fibre network, and doing it sustainably is crucial for our business, the communities we serve, and the environment we all share. As part of our ‘Let’s Reach Zero’ strategy, we aim to lower our carbon emissions, use less and waste less material, and protect nature wherever we operate.”

The new service, once live, can be ordered via various ISPs, such as BT, Sky Broadband, TalkTalk, Vodafone and more (Openreach FTTP ISP Choices) – it is not currently an automatic upgrade, although some providers have started to do free automatic upgrades as older copper-based services and lines are slowly withdrawn.