Openreach Update – Project Gigabit Builds in Wales, Surrey, Hertfordshire and Wiltshire

Network operator Openreach (BT) has issued a progress update on their deployment of a new Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) based broadband ISP network in rural parts of Wales, Surrey, Hertfordshire and Wiltshire, which form part of their Project Gigabit contracts with the UK government.

Just to recap. Openreach has previously been chosen to deliver all of Project Gigabit’s Cross-Regional (Type C) procurements (here, here and here) via a Single Supplier Framework agreement (here) – currently reflecting £745m in total public subsidy to help upgrade 297,000 premises to full fibre technology in some of the hardest to reach parts of rural England, Scotland and Wales (i.e. premises with no prior access to gigabit connectivity).

The areas covered by these Type C contracts typically reflect locations where no or no appropriate market interest had previously been expressed before to the Government’s Building Digital UK (BDUK) agency, or areas that have been de-scoped or terminated from a prior plan. Areas like the ones above are often skipped due to being too expensive (difficult) for smaller suppliers; all the other contracts have gone to smaller alternative networks.

Openreach has today issued a few additional progress updates on their related Project Gigabit builds across remote rural parts of Wales, Surrey, Hertfordshire and Wiltshire, which reveals the next batches of locations to be targeted in each region (this also includes some surrounding areas). As usual, it’s important to reflect that network operators don’t usually reach 100% of premises in every location they target.

Openreach’s Project Gigabit Progress (Next Locations)

Wales

Northop Hall, Abercynon, Twyn-yr-Odyn, Nefyn, Llandebrog, Mynytho, Mynyddislwyn, Ynysddu, Hollybush, Abertillery, Aberbeeg, Llanhilleth, Llangeview, Llantrisant, Llanllywel, Llantilio Crossenny, Brynderi, Whitecastle, Llanmadoc, Llangennith, Llanidloes, Machynlleth, Cefn Coch, Llanfair Caereinion, Dolanog, Golfa, Devil’s Bridge and Llanilar.

Surrey

Knaphill, Pirbright and Bisley

Hertfordshire

Much Hadham, Albury, Farnham, Braughing and Bayford.

Wiltshire

Winterbourne Monkton, Brokerswood, Hawkeridge, Heywood, Eastcourt, Oaksey, Royal Wootton Bassett, Clyffe Pypard, Highworth, Avebury, Ogbourne St Andrew, Ogbourne St George and Woodsend.

In total, Openreach’s Full Fibre network already reaches more than 1.1 million properties across Wales, as well as 320,000 properties across Surrey, 360,000 properties across Hertfordshire and 215,000 properties across Wiltshire. In a canned statement, Telecoms Minister, Liz Lloyd, said: “By delivering infrastructure that will serve these communities for decades to come, we’re making sure everyone can benefit from the digital world, no matter where they live.”

The new service, once live, can be ordered via various ISPs, such as BT, Sky Broadband, TalkTalk, Vodafone and more (Openreach FTTP ISP Choices) – it is not currently an automatic upgrade, although some providers have started to do free automatic upgrades as older copper-based services and lines are slowly withdrawn.