Rural UK ISP Wessex Internet Upgrade to 10Gbps XGS-PON Fibre

Broadband ISP Wessex Internet, which is deploying a new Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network across rural parts of Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire and Somerset in England, has announced that they’ve begun upgrading their network with 10Gbps capable XGS-PON tech from Nokia and DWDM (Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing).

At present WI’s existing network footprint is only vaguely said to cover “tens of thousands of homes” (some of this may relate to their older wireless broadband network), while their current business plan targets an “additional” 150,000 premises by 2027 through a combination of subsidised and unsubsidised capital investment.

However, much like other alternative network providers, WI needs to ensure that their network can keep up with demand and cater for future needs. As a result of that they’ve signed a new partnership with Nokia to harness their XGS-PON technology on their full fibre (FTTP) network. The ISP will also be deploying a DWDM (Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing) solution to upgrade the capacity of its core network.

The roll-out of their new XGS-PON infrastructure has already begun, with customers on the Sunrise Business Park in Blandford Forum being among the first to be connected to the new network technology earlier this year. As well as gaining a capacity boost, the provider also expects the upgrade to help reduce equipment and power requirements.

Hector Gibson Fleming, CEO of Wessex Internet, said:

“Our partnership with Nokia is fantastic step forward for Wessex Internet which is already delivering improvements to the capacity and resilience of our network. But more importantly, this partnership gives us a clear technology roadmap which is future-proof. This ensures our network will deliver the speeds and reliability that our customers need for decades to come, fulfilling our mission to ensure that rural communities are not left behind as technology changes.”

Phil Siveter, UK&I CEO/CSO at Nokia, said:

“We are proud to partner with Wessex Internet to help bring high-quality 10Gbs broadband services to their residential and business customers. As demand for Gigabit and symmetrical services grows, next-generation fiber technologies like XGS-PON play a critical role in delivering and supporting the enhanced ultra-broadband services customers require today and in the future.”

Prices for their full fibre packages usually start at £29 per month for a 100Mbps (15Mbps upload) tier on a 12-month term and attract a £49 one-off activation fee, although this only comes with a meagre 100GB data allowance. But the rest of their packages all include “unlimited usage” and rise up to £79 per month for their top 900Mbps (450Mbps upload) tier. Not the cheapest, but still a godsend for many as WI often deploy in remote rural areas that lack FTTP coverage.