ISP Giganet Get Full Fibre Capacity Boost from Neos Networks UK
ISP Giganet, which offers gigabit broadband connectivity to homes and businesses via several platforms (Openreach, CityFibre and its own FTTP network), has signed a new agreement with Dark Fibre operator Neos Networks to secure backhaul and data centre connectivity for their full fibre rollout in the South of England.
At present, Giganet is busy investing £250m with Fern Trading to rollout their own Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network to 300,000 premises across poorly served parts of Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire and West Sussex (here). On top of that, the operator is continuing to expand the availability of FTTP via Openreach and CityFibre’s wholesale platforms in other parts of the country, to maximise availability.
Work on the operator’s own-build FTTP project began in 2021 and Giganet currently aims to have both their core network and the first four exchange rings live by the end of 2022. Meanwhile, today’s deal means that Neos Networks – with its 550 unbundled exchange network – will provide the ISP with the local connectivity required to carry traffic to its data centres and across its national network.
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This network expansion project will see Neos Networks support Giganet to deliver a more than tenfold capacity increase.
Matthew Skipsey, Chief Technology Officer at Giganet, said:
“Neos Networks rose to the challenge of providing us with resilient and high capacity backhaul circuits across a wide range of exchanges as well as our core data centres.
Using Neos Networks, we have been able to secure connectivity to our points of presence faster than expected, initially enabling each of our first four regional rings with resilient 100Gb/s backhaul. This means our south coast roll-out is progressing at pace.”
Sarah Mills, Chief Revenue Officer at Neos Networks, said:
“Both Neos Networks and Giganet have adopted a collaborative approach to this relationship. This has resulted not only in solutions being delivered faster than ever, as the Giganet network grows, it also gives us the ability to transition connectivity between points of presence without any disruption.
There is no doubt that by working in partnership with alternative network providers, like Giganet, UK residents will benefit from a better, faster, and more resilient connectivity.”
Some of the first locations to benefit from Giganet’s rollout have already included Wimborne, Ferndown, Ringwood, Fordingbridge and the communities between (i.e. mostly around the Dorset and Hampshire area). The villages of Henfield and Hurstpierpoint (West Sussex), Devizes and Marlborough (Wiltshire), and Tadley (Hampshire) have also been mentioned, but we haven’t had a detailed progress update on their build for a while now, and its unclear how many premises have already been reached.
UPDATE:
In the comments below, a rep from Giganet has also mentioned that they plan to cover a “whole swathe of areas” including Hythe, Totton and Fair Oak in Hampshire, which are scheduled to start going live towards the end of this year.
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Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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They are rolling out in Storrington and Pulborough but appear to be a little slower than Box Broadband or Trooli
Yep, I would have to agree about the slow speed that Giganet are moving at. Looking at the rollout in Ferndown, they have taken getting on for a year to cover one fraction of the town, whereas Trooli are moving at a fast pace.
At the rate they are going, I wonder if where I live will ever be covered by their service.
To be fair, Giganet are still in the finding their feet phase, after only starting to build last May 2021. It’s not uncommon for operators to make a slow and gradual start in their first 1-2 years of deployment, before quickly ramping-up. By comparison, Trooli has been going since 2019 and are thus hitting their stride.
That makes sense. We’ve got Giganet installing in hythe/marchwood/fawley (just by the New Forest). I’ve seen a lot of Neos activity in the area too so make sense to share the backbone. Just wish Giganet would hurry and finish some installs though. They have been doing one cabinet for months. Trooli seem to have managed rollout far quicker (its just a shame they don’t allow you to use your own router – at least officially anyway).
Agree, I’m in Hythe and waiting for Giganet. All the neighbours have Trooli service now, and Giganet are not being precise on when things will operational, seems open ended.
@Jefferson – Glad to know something is rolling out though. My estate (hythe area) has had both giganet and trooli roadworks (not on my road though) but neither can be ordered yet. I’m hanging on for Giganet as stated but I’ve seen a few trooli installs appear on bidb.uk for nearby roads (that are not part of my estate). I’m out of FTTC contract now so paying over the odds until I can order.
Found this https://moderngov.microshadeapplications.co.uk/hdpc/documents/s5002/Giganet%20Intro%20Presentation.pdf
State work to complete in Oct 2024!!!!!! I can’t do another 2 years (potentially) on ADSL ;(
@jefferson – Contact Giganet on hellogiganet.uk – I did a few months ago and got the following after a day or so: We have taken a look at your address with our on-net team. They have informed us that your area is due to go live from late September to early October but this is subject to delays and change.
Given that’s about a month away and I’ve seen no work on my road I suspect its slipped but can’t hurt asking?
hello@giganet.uk
(This site needs an edit)
Good to see Giganet getting more agreements. They’re building out in Fair Oak and Bishopstoke at the moment but no idea when they will be live. Grabbed a great deal on 12 months free broadband once it’s available by registering my interest in their Fair Oak rollout.
Add the corridor from Fair Oak, up to Colden Common, Twyford, Shawford and Winchester also included.
Hello and thank you for all your comments. Cheesemp is right – if you’d like any information on timescales for an area or specific address, then please email hello@giganet.uk and we’ll give you the latest update. Or you can register your interest on our website (www.giganet.uk) and we’ll keep you informed with the progress of the rollout in your area.
For your reference, Marlborough and Devizes rollouts should begin at the very end of September, with Hurstpierpoint following shortly afterwards, then Fair Oak. A whole swathe of areas including Hythe, Totton and Fair Oak are scheduled to have their first home go live towards the end of this year. Please do get in touch via the email address if you’d like any more information and we’re always happy to help.
Please, please, come to Winchester. We have zero options currently!