Calix Help Rural UK Overbury Estate Homes Get 1Gbps Fibre Broadband

Communications equipment provider Calix has helped two small farming villages in the heart of rural England, Overbury and Conderton (Cotswolds), gain access to “ultra-fast” fibre optic broadband (FTTP) services by deploying its E7-2 Ethernet Service Access Platform (ESAP).

The kit, which was also recently deployed as part of the £40m Derwenthorpe housing project in Yorkshire (here), means that local homes and businesses on the Overbury Estate can now access broadband speeds of up to 1Gbps (Gigabits per second).

Community facilities are also set to benefit as the fibre network will shortly be rolled out to other local organizations, such as the village hall, church and school. But the development may be less of a surprise to those familiar with the area because, despite its rural environment, Overbury was in the past one of the first rural communities to have running water, electricity and telephones.

Andy Lockhart, Calix’s Senior VP of International Sales, said:

“Overbury is a great example of the difference that high-speed broadband services can make in a rural community in a relatively short space of time. Calix has already delivered a number of innovative community projects in the UK and globally. Along with Derwenthorpe in York and Alston Moor in the Pennines, Overbury is a further example of how we are bringing our experience in North America’s rural broadband market to the UK, and in doing so setting a new standard for advanced broadband services in the country.”

It’s understood that the network itself, which apparently supports up to 48 subscribers over point-to-point gigabit Ethernet (GE) connections in each “modular chassis“, was designed and implemented by Fibre Options. Additional E7-2 platforms can be added on a pay-as-you-grow basis.

Apparently “all the homes on the Estate and in nearby Conderton” will now be able to enjoy high-speed data services at up to 1Gbps. Sadly no information about the projects costs were revealed.