6G Internet Aim Gigabit Wireless Broadband at 4 Million UK Homes

Fixed Wireless ISP 6G Internet (6GI), which despite the misleading name doesn’t actually use the 6G mobile standard (it doesn’t exist.. yet), has initially committed to rollout a 1Gbps (rising to 6Gbps by 2025) capable broadband network across 38,000 homes in Blackburn (Lancashire) over the next 2 years.

At present the fastest home package from 6GI is an unlimited 100Mbps (10Mbps upload) service, which costs £21 per month on a 12 month contract. The service comes attached to a £600 one-off “home visit fee” (we assume for installation), although their slower plans only attach a £50 fee. The reason for this difference is unclear but it’s the most expensive residential wireless setup we’ve ever seen (possibly using business grade hardware).

According to a report in the Lancashire Telegraph, 6GI will aim to roll-out the “gigabit internet” capable “Internexus broadband network” to 38,000 Blackburn premises over the next 24 months, although a recent blog post on 6GI’s website said this would be completed within just “12 months.” The same blog suggested they’d then aim to “reach 4 million homes within three years” (quite a ramp up from 38,000).

Admittedly the 4 million claim should probably be taken with a pinch of salt. Back in 2013 the then fledgling ISP similarly promised (here) to rollout their network across the rest of the United Kingdom within the space of 12 months, which didn’t happen.

Neil Knighton, Comms Manager for Internexus, said:

“The new Internexus wireless broadband network will result in Blackburn having some of the fastest internet in the UK.

As a gigabit capable town, more residents and businesses will be able to take advantage of technology and services that are at the cutting edge of what is possible.

We are working hard to ensure the new network is rolled out across Blackburn over the next two years and we’re very excited to see the impact this new technology will have on the town.”

At this point you may be wondering why somebody from Internexus is commenting on a story about 6GI. The reason for that is because this ISP is connected to Internexus, which is itself a trading name of IX Wireless. We also note that Companies House currently list the Internexus Group as being in liquidation (here) and, in a distant past life, that was called Supanet (i.e. the business seems to have changed hands sometime ago).

Meanwhile IX Wireless recently moved to modify their Code Powers from Ofcom in order to support their expansion (here), which revealed a little bit more about their network. “The Applicant has stated that it operates a radio access network comprising: a distribution network built with point to point microwave and millimetre wave links, and fixed wireless access links (in the 5.8GHz band) providing connections to individual customers. At present, the Applicant provides services predominantly in the north of England, but it is expanding its network to other parts of the UK.”

Otherwise the biggest risk for 6GI’s rollout is that they will effectively be going into direct competition with the latest 5G based mobile broadband networks – at similar Gigabit capable speeds – from major operators including EE, O2, Three UK and Vodafone. 6GI has also mentioned that Bolton and Preston will be next on their rollout list.