Nexfibre to Cover 1,456 UK Youth Centres with Free 2Gbps FTTP Broadband

Network operator nexfibre, which shares some of its parentage with its ISP partners Virgin Media (O2) and giffgaff, plan to expand on their original commitment to offer as many as 1,000 youth centres across the UK access to their full fibre network for free. But following the planned acquisition of Netomnia (here), they now expect to reach a further 456 centres.

The latest such UK Youth Centre (charity) to go live is the Bentswood Hub in Haywards Heath, which now benefits from up to 2Gbps full fibre broadband for a “2-year period, free of charge“. Such centres aim to give young people better access to education, employment and other opportunities where they can thrive and develop new skills.

In order to bring this all to life at the Bentswood Hub, the centre partnered with Hype VR to host a virtual reality evening, giving young people the opportunity to experience the benefits of full-fibre broadband first-hand. The centre also has received advice and resources from online safety experts, Internet Matters, and information about the tools and controls available to help keep young people safe online when accessing the internet.

Rajiv Datta, Chief Executive Officer of nexfibre, said:

“Digital poverty is a serious issue in the UK, and at nexfibre, we are committed to playing our part in tackling it. Full-fibre broadband is critical to broader economic growth by providing better access to education, employment and life-changing opportunities.

Through our partnership with UK Youth, I’m delighted to see Bentswood Hub benefitting from our full fibre network, bringing essential digital infrastructure to the local community. By investing in the next generation, we’re providing them the tools they need to thrive in a modern economy.”

The announcement doesn’t mention how many centres have already been upgraded so far or how long it will take them to reach the new target of 1,456.