The incumbent broadband ISP and mobile network operator for the English Channel Island of Guernsey, Sure, has confirmed a major new £37.5m investment project to deploy a 1Gbps speed Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network to more than 30,000 properties across the island by the end of 2026.
At present most fixed broadband connections on the island are delivered by a 100Mbps capable Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC / VDSL) network, although last year Sure said they planned to start deploying FTTP too (here). Since then, the ISP has already begun a limited commercial pilot with a small number of homes via their new Guernsey Fibre sub-brand, and they’ve also started recruiting engineers.
The good news is that the new project has just been granted approval by the local Government (States of Guernsey), which will provide “up to” £12.5 million of the total funding for the project – that works out at a cost of roughly £1,250 per premises passed.
The first build (beyond the pilot phase) is expected to begin around April 2022 and those covered will also benefit from battery back-up options, which they said would “ensure that those customers who need to or wish to maintain a landline calling facility during a power cut will be able to do so” (sadly Ofcom doesn’t strictly require this in the UK, it’s more of an “expectation” that is placed upon ISPs).
Alistair Beak, Sure Group CEO, said:
“[This] exciting announcement will underpin Guernsey’s digital infrastructure and economy for decades to come. As well as boosting long term economic growth, Sure will be creating in the region of 75 additional jobs and directing the vast majority of the £37.5m spend through local suppliers. The partial funding from the States of Guernsey will have a significant impact in ensuring island wide coverage and an accelerated roll out within five years.
We’re truly building a network that’s going to make a difference for everyone in Guernsey – and we’re proud to be connecting the community for a better future.”
The move should bring Guernsey into line with their more advanced neighbour, Jersey, which completed its own FTTP rollout via JT (Jersey Telecom) back in 2018 (here). The rollout on Jersey took a similar length of time, as well as gobbling up around £40m to cover c.45,000 premises.
Just to remind our readers. Guernsey is part of the British Isles and residents do have British passports, but the island is self-governing (i.e. a British Crown Dependency with its own financial and legal systems etc.). Credits to the BBC for spotting that the project won its final approval on Friday.
UPDATE 25th May 2022
Adtran has announced that it is helping Sure deploy Gigabit services across Guernsey and connect 30,000 homes and businesses by the end of 2026. This makes Sure the first service provider to deploy XGS-PON in the Channel Islands.
Good to hear their FTTP has a battery back up.
At least the Internet will still work when France cuts the electricity supply off to Guernsey.
France isn’t going to cut off Guernsey’s electricity, doing so wouldn’t be in their interest.
The French are rational actors, who unlike the British, aren’t in the business of cutting off their noses to spite their faces, nor blaming everyone else for problems of their own petty making.
Is this good news or not. I can’t tell.
Hopefully everyone will be ablw to get the 1gb speed, wonder when 5g will be released fully on the iland and if this will get rid of the many dead spots