First Firms Live on Cityfibre’s Gigabit FTTP Network in Reading and Bracknell

The first businesses have this week gone live on Cityfibre’s new Gigabit capable Fibre-to-the-Premise (FTTP) broadband and Ethernet networks in the Berkshire towns of Bracknell and Reading, with local business ISP BtL Communications supplying the connectivity products.

Both of the networks were originally acquired at the end of 2015, which came as part of Cityfibre’s £90 million move to acquire most of KCOM’s UK network assets (here); except their primary base in East Yorkshire (Hull). Since then the operator has been working to upgrade, extend and commercialise the networks.

Nick Gray, City Development Manager at CityFibre, said:

“Reading is already recognised as a centre for innovation across the UK, surpassing London last year with the fastest growing economy in the country. Similarly, Bracknell continues to raise its economic prospect with ambitious plans for regeneration.

This new 100 per cent fibre infrastructure will play an enormous role in supercharging both towns’ economies whilst also attracting new talent and investment to the wider Thames Valley region.

As cities across the UK prepare for the challenges and uncertainty ahead, it’s clear that investing in new, future proof digital infrastructure will not only make them more competitive, it will make them stronger, more productive and more resilient as we transition further into the digital age.”

Rob Lamden, Managing Director of BtL, added:

“Gigabit speed connectivity will transform how we do business in future. With an ultra-fast, ultra-resilient full-fibre connection into a business premises, the true power of cloud technology will be unleashed. We’re very excited to be involved in such a vital project and delighted our first customers in Reading and Bracknell are now able to harness the huge benefits of their new connection.”

Apparently the first businesses to go live represent a range of sectors including health, IT, recruitment and financial services, although we’re not told much more than that. Otherwise Cityfibre claims that there’s a “clear link between new full-fibre investment and business growth … with recent estimates from Thames Valley Berkshire LEP indicating investment in ultra-fast connectivity could help generate an additional £1.2bn GVA for the region over the next five to seven years.”

However, we should clarify that the £1.2bn GVA figure was focused on the local investment into “superfast broadband” (24Mbps+) capable infrastructure over a 5-7 year period and not specifically ultra-fast connectivity (ultra-fast was mentioned as an aside).