Lightning Fibre Resume Stalled Full Fibre Broadband Build in Tenterden

Eastbourne-based network operator and UK ISP Lightning Fibre, which has been building a new Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network across parts of Sussex and Kent in England, has today confirmed that they’ve resumed their roll-out in the town of Tenterden. The build was stopped during early 2024, while the operator went through a re-structure.

The alternative network, which has built to a number of locations like Eastbourne, Brighton and Hove, Worthing, Lancing, Hastings and St Leonards, Heathfield, Hellingly and Broad Oak, Hailsham and Polegate, originally planned to cover 140,000 premises with their gigabit-capable network. But it remains unclear how many premises they’ve reached, and they’ve since had to slow their network build again due to various challenges (here and here).

One of the locations to be affected by Lightning Fibre’s earlier restructuring was Tenterden, which is despite the operator previously stating that their roll-out in the area was already mostly completed. But the good news today is that they’re now returning to complete the previously stopped build, which they aim to finish sometime during “early 2025“.

Lightning Fibre’s Statement on Tenterden

Lightning Fibre commenced their Tenterden Full Fibre roll out in 2023, but stopped (unexpectedly) in early 2024 as the company went through a re-structure. This meant civils work slowed down or, in the case of Tenterden, stopped completely. However, Lightning Fibre has largely completed their work in East Sussex and funds and resources have now been deployed to Kent to complete the Tenterden Full Fibre network build.

This network is independent of the Openreach copper and Fibre networks, and offers consumers more choice. Choice tends to mean better pricing and improved customer service, and it’s positive for Tenterden residents and businesses that Lighting Fibre is providing an alternative network for the town. The build will be completed in early 2025.

A quick look at the town via Thinkbroadband’s database suggests that the provider may have only managed to put their FTTP network live in an area stretching across the northern half of the town (optimistically guesstimating around 20% of premises). But it’s plausible that they may have partially completed a much larger network than that, which has yet to go fully live (RFS).

The town is already well covered by Openreach’s FTTP network, but it’s just big enough that there should be room for another player.