Broadband ISP Fibrus Helps Boost N.Ireland Economy by £431m Since 2020

A new economic and social impact report from Grant Thornton has claimed that Infracapital-backed network operator Fibrus, which is building a full fibre (FTTP) broadband ISP network across several rural parts of the UK, has contributed £431 million (expenditure) to the Northern Ireland economy since beginning operations in 2020.

Just to recap. Fibrus have been primarily focusing their roll-out of gigabit broadband across rural parts of both Cumbria in England and Northern Ireland. The operator’s network currently reaches over 410,000 premises and has connected 100,000 customers. In particular, the deployment in Northern Ireland – supported by a mix of public and private investment – is both one of their oldest and rapidly approaching completion.

According to the new report, Fibrus has generated £431m in total economic impact for Northern Ireland since 2020, which includes £74 million from company operations (turnover, wages, and job creation), £271 million via supply chain investment and £86 million from indirect spending by Fibrus employees across the local economy. Not to mention over £411K in charitable contributions.

When Project Stratum is complete, the report also predicts potential productivity gains of £50.6m per annum (all households connected), driven by the roll-out of Full Fibre broadband. But it’s always wise to take future forecasts with a pinch of salt, not least since accurately gauge the economic impact of deploying faster broadband is notoriously difficult – most premises won’t be starting from a point of zero connectivity, and we’re all very different in our connectivity needs.

Dominic Kearns, CEO and Founder of Fibrus, said:

“When we founded Fibrus five years ago, our sole purpose was to bring communities, homes and businesses a broadband service fit for every day demands.

Thanks to Project Stratum, we have successfully delivered Full Fibre connectivity to almost 80,000 properties that had been left in the digital dark by the incumbent. This June, we will complete Project Stratum, the largest telecoms infrastructure project ever seen here, on time and within budget, changing the lives of those in rural communities and offering them the same opportunities as their urban counterparts.

This economic and social impact report lays out the real-world difference Project Stratum and Fibrus has made to Northern Ireland. It shows in no small terms that we aren’t just about faster internet speeds – we’re serious about driving economic growth, fostering connected communities and creating competition to ensure households get value for money and better customer service.”

Andrew Webb, Chief Economist at Grant Thornton, said:

“The economic impact report highlights the significant contributions Fibrus has made to the Northern Ireland economy since it was founded. The £431 million generated is a testament to the company’s commitment to driving economic growth. This, plus the £50 million in productivity gains that Fibrus broadband enables, proves that the company has been a major contributor to improving Northern Ireland’s competitiveness and has strengthened the pulling power of our regional towns, bringing significant benefits to rural communities.”

As of the end of March 2025, some 79,400 households had now gained access to Full Fibre broadband under Project Stratum, with over 34,500 customers connected to the network. This is said to be generating more than £20.3 million in productivity gains this year alone. By the end of 2027, the network is projected in the new report to grow to around 53,000 customers, thus driving an estimated £33.1 million in productivity gains.

The company currently employs 435 people, making an Income Tax contribution worth £3.6m to the public purse. Fibrus in 2024 also generated c.£3.5m in National Insurance Contributions, with c.£1.3m being made through employee contributions and c.£2.2m being made through Employer Contributions.