CityFibre UK Completes Primary FTTP Broadband Build in Bracknell

Network access provider CityFibre, which has so far built their 2.5Gbps speed Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP network to cover around 4 million UK premises, have today confirmed the completion of their “primary” £20m build in the Berkshire (England) town of Bracknell.

The network deployment, which originally began with the help of civil engineering contractor VolkerSmart Technologies, first entered the construction phase during Spring 2021 (here) and was expected to reach completion in 2024. The good news is that CityFibre has now covered “over” 30,000 homes (RFS) or “approximately 83% of the town’s properties“ and completed their primary build.

As usual, CityFibre aren’t the only gigabit-capable broadband network present in the town. For example, both Virgin Media (nexfibre) and Openreach’s networks are already widely available across the location, with Glide, Hyperoptic and OFNL also having a few smaller patches of FTTP coverage.

The operator said they would now continue to “explore opportunities to connect more homes and businesses” in the town, including upgrading local flats, new-build homes, business parks and homes on private roads.

Neil Madle, Partnership Manager at CityFibre, said:

“Our rollout in Bracknell marks an exciting step forward for digital connectivity across the town. With the UK’s best available digital infrastructure under its streets, residents, businesses and public institutions will be able to reap the benefits for generations to come.

Bracknell is a town filled with opportunity and ambition, which is why it has always been such an important build for us. Full fibre is vital for the UK market’s long-term growth, and we look forward to building on our previous success powering the town’s future economic development.”

The alternative network operator currently still aspires to cover up to 8 million UK premises with their new full fibre network (funded by c.£2.4bn in equity, c.£4.9bn debt and c.£800m of BDUK / public subsidy) – representing c.30% of the UK. But quite when they’ll reach that point is unclear, and they’re known to still be in need of fresh funding (here).