Latest news with #ProjectGigabit
Wales Online
09-07-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
16 left-behind places in rural North Wales to finally get superfast broadband
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Work has begun on bringing full fibre broadband to some of the most rural homes in North and Mid Wales. Openreach's latest roll-out aims to connect up some of the 'most hard-to-reach areas' at the back of the queue for superfast internet. In the coming months, Openreach engineers will be visiting 16 communities in Gwynedd, Denbighshire and Powys to deliver 'some of the fastest, most reliable broadband anywhere in Europe'. The upgrades are part of Project Gigabit, a government-funded programme targeting homes and businesses that – because of their locations - might otherwise miss out on fast, reliable broadband. Up to £800m was made available to Openreach last year to benefit around 312,000 premises across the UK. The company said the "once-in-a-generation" upgrade will benefit hundreds of properties in the region. Some are in communities that already have partial access to full fibre broadband such as Llangollen and Corwen. Known as fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) or gigabit broadband, the upgrade will leave affected areas having access to speeds of up to 1 Gbp, as follows: Denbighshire: Corwen, Llangollen, Glanrafon, Maerdy, Llandrillo, Betws Gwerfil Goch. Corwen, Llangollen, Glanrafon, Maerdy, Llandrillo, Betws Gwerfil Goch. Gwynedd: Llandderfel, Llaniestyn. Llandderfel, Llaniestyn. Powys: Penegoes, Abercegir, Talywern, Llansilin, Llanwrin, Aberhosan, Melin-Bryhedyn and Castle Caereinion. Telecoms Minister Sir Chris Bryant said: 'I'm thrilled to see spades in the ground to bring fast, reliable broadband to communities in Wales that have long struggled with poor connectivity. 'This isn't just about faster internet. Whether it's families streaming without interruption, farmers adopting smart technologies, or small businesses reaching new markets, we're laying the foundations that drive economic growth and unlock opportunity across the country.' Openreach engineers are also due to carry out full-fibre work in Monmouthshire and south Powys. Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now As well as providing enough capacity to meet growing data demands, fibre technology should boost all online experiences – from seamless streaming and gaming in homes to smooth video calls, banking and customer interactions for businesses. In total, Openreach's Full Fibre network now reaches more than one million across Wales. Martin Williams, partnership director for Wales, said: 'This is a major infrastructure upgrade in partnership with UK Government, so there will be more engineering teams, equipment and vans around, and we're working hard to keep disruption to a minimum. 'Wherever possible, we'll use our existing network of ducts and poles to avoid roadworks, new street furniture and disturbance. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox "But there may be places where we need to install new poles, underground ducts and fibre cables because it's the only way to make sure households get included in the upgrade.' Find planning applications in your area
North Wales Live
09-07-2025
- Business
- North Wales Live
16 left-behind places in rural North Wales to finally get superfast broadband
Work has begun on bringing full fibre broadband to some of the most rural homes in North and Mid Wales. Openreach's latest roll-out aims to connect up some of the 'most hard-to-reach areas' at the back of the queue for superfast internet. In the coming months, Openreach engineers will be visiting 16 communities in Gwynedd, Denbighshire and Powys to deliver 'some of the fastest, most reliable broadband anywhere in Europe'. The upgrades are part of Project Gigabit, a government-funded programme targeting homes and businesses that – because of their locations - might otherwise miss out on fast, reliable broadband. Up to £800m was made available to Openreach last year to benefit around 312,000 premises across the UK. The company said the "once-in-a-generation" upgrade will benefit hundreds of properties in the region. Some are in communities that already have partial access to full fibre broadband such as Llangollen and Corwen. Known as fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) or gigabit broadband, the upgrade will leave affected areas having access to speeds of up to 1 Gbp, as follows: Denbighshire: Corwen, Llangollen, Glanrafon, Maerdy, Llandrillo, Betws Gwerfil Goch. Gwynedd: Llandderfel, Llaniestyn. Powys: Penegoes, Abercegir, Talywern, Llansilin, Llanwrin, Aberhosan, Melin-Bryhedyn and Castle Caereinion. Telecoms Minister Sir Chris Bryant said: 'I'm thrilled to see spades in the ground to bring fast, reliable broadband to communities in Wales that have long struggled with poor connectivity. 'This isn't just about faster internet. Whether it's families streaming without interruption, farmers adopting smart technologies, or small businesses reaching new markets, we're laying the foundations that drive economic growth and unlock opportunity across the country.' Openreach engineers are also due to carry out full-fibre work in Monmouthshire and south Powys. Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now As well as providing enough capacity to meet growing data demands, fibre technology should boost all online experiences – from seamless streaming and gaming in homes to smooth video calls, banking and customer interactions for businesses. In total, Openreach's Full Fibre network now reaches more than one million across Wales. Martin Williams, partnership director for Wales, said: 'This is a major infrastructure upgrade in partnership with UK Government, so there will be more engineering teams, equipment and vans around, and we're working hard to keep disruption to a minimum. 'Wherever possible, we'll use our existing network of ducts and poles to avoid roadworks, new street furniture and disturbance. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox "But there may be places where we need to install new poles, underground ducts and fibre cables because it's the only way to make sure households get included in the upgrade.'
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Broadband firm brings tech support home from South Africa
EAST Yorkshire broadband company Quickline Communications, which serves settlements across York and North Yorkshire, has brought its technical support operations in-house. A newly formed, 15-strong team of first-line support agents is now based at Quickline's East Yorkshire headquarters west of Hull, replacing a former outsourcing deal with a firm in South Africa. Quickline says the change is the latest in a series of strategic moves to further enhance its customer experience, following the launch earlier this year of its Customer Excellence Hub and the appointment of Frank Stone as Chief Marketing and Information Officer. Quickline CEO, Sean Royce, said: 'This is a big moment for Quickline and for our customers. RECOMMENDED READING: York: Quickline revise village broadband installation plan Quickline wins more Project Gigabit work in North Yorkshire Quickline to bring 'Broadband for £1' to rural communities Quickline helps 6,000 homes in Project Gigabit rollout "Having a locally based technical support team means when our customers need help, they're talking to someone who understands their community, not just the technology. "We're proud to be employing more people here in Yorkshire, right in the heart of where we deliver our broadband services. It's all part of our promise to offer a uniquely northern, truly local service that goes beyond just connectivity.' The in-house team will sit alongside Quickline's Customer Service and Sales teams, under a new structure led by Michelle Simpson. Michelle has been appointed as Director of Sales and Service Operations, a brand-new role that brings all core customer-facing teams together to help deliver a seamless, end-to-end experience for customers. Michelle, who has been with Quickline for three years as Head of Sales, brings deep industry knowledge and leadership experience having held senior positions in sales, customer services and technical support during a nine-year career at KCOM. She said: 'I'm excited to take on this new role, uniting many of our customer-facing teams to ensure a truly seamless and personal experience at every touchpoint. "We are absolutely committed to keeping our customers front and centre of everything we do, and I'll be driving that focus forward across the business.' Sean added: 'Michelle's leadership, energy and deep understanding of our customers and the region in which we operate, will be crucial as we continue to deliver on our customer first commitment.' Quickline says it's customer-first approach is central to its mission to connect rural communities to fast, reliable broadband, enabling them to access the digital services they need to thrive.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cumbria Chamber urges Government to back business growth in spending review
Fresh calls have been made for the Government to prioritise business growth ahead. Cumbria Chamber of Commerce has joined the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and chambers across the UK to urge the Government to put business growth at the centre of its spending plans. The call comes ahead of Wednesday's Comprehensive Spending Review, which will set out the Government's budget priorities. Suzanne Caldwell, managing director of Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, said: "Wednesday's Comprehensive Spending Review will impact the future shape of our economy for years. "So the Government can't afford to get this wrong. "At the end of the day it's businesses that create wealth and growth in our economy. "So fundamentally the Government needs to put more time, money and effort into supporting business. "That's a downpayment on our future prosperity." The chambers have outlined a series of recommendations under three themes: Get Britain Thriving, Get Britain Working, and Get Britain Trading. These calls focus on improved investment in infrastructure, people, and international trade. Recommendations include funding for transport and energy projects, better grid connectivity, long-term support for Project Gigabit, and practical help for SMEs to adopt artificial intelligence (AI). When it comes to getting Britain working, the chambers want more Apprenticeship Levy funding redirected to the Department for Education to boost training, and a broader Youth Guarantee for 18- to 24-year-olds. The chambers want more employers to be involved in skills planning by extending investment in Local Skills Improvement Plans and addressing gaps in training provision. On trade, the chambers are calling for investment in 'digital trade', better export support for SMEs, and a stronger pipeline of overseas investment. The recommendations were developed through consultation between the 51 chambers across the UK, the BCC, and the BCC's Business Council. They are also backed by research from the BCC's Insights Unit, which gathered feedback from more than 5,000 businesses on the biggest barriers to growth. Ms Caldwell said: "If the Government wants strong and consistent economic growth, it has to look at three key areas. "It must promote consistent investment in people, in infrastructure and in trade. "If it provides the support businesses need to thrive, in an increasingly competitive and protectionist global market, then the future can still be bright."
Pembrokeshire Herald
24-05-2025
- Business
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Gigabit-capable broadband coverage continues to rise in Pembrokeshire
THE ROLLOUT of gigabit-capable broadband in Pembrokeshire is progressing at an impressive pace, supported by the Swansea Bay City Deal's Digital Infrastructure Programme. Recent data highlights significant year-on-year growth in broadband coverage, reflecting the success of this initiative and its role in enhancing digital connectivity across the region. Coverage in the county has grown substantially. At the end of March 2021, only 7.6% of Pembrokeshire residents and businesses had access to gigabit-capable broadband. By the end of March 2024, this figure had reached 48.2%, and as of March 2025, it has risen again to 65.1%, demonstrating the program's momentum (Source: ThinkBroadband). The rollout has been bolstered by successful projects funded through the UK government's Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, ensuring that residents and businesses in more remote areas can access high-speed internet. Key to the success of the rollout in Pembrokeshire has been the collaboration of two Digital Champions, who have worked closely with Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC). These partnerships have been instrumental in scheduling civil engineering works around the county's bustling tourist economy and existing infrastructure projects, reducing disruption to residents and businesses. Additionally, a wide range of suppliers are actively contributing to the project. Companies like Openreach, Ogi, Voneus, and the local business Dragon WiFi have all played vital roles in expanding broadband access across the county. To further boost coverage, Openreach is delivering a £289 million contract as part of the UK government's Project Gigabit. This initiative will connect around 131,000 homes and businesses in some of the most remote areas of South Wales to reliable, high-speed broadband. The benefits of this expanded connectivity are significant, from better access to online services and improved opportunities for remote work and education, to supporting Pembrokeshire's growing local economy. Cllr Paul Miller commented, 'The progress we're seeing is a result of strong teamwork between the council, our partners, and the local community. We are committed to ensuring that everyone in Pembrokeshire benefits from fast, reliable internet access.' Cllr Rob Stewart, Leader of Swansea Council and Chair of the Swansea Bay City Deal Joint Committee, said: 'Year-on-year increases in gigabit-capable broadband coverage in Pembrokeshire are a tremendous achievement. This collaboration plays a crucial role in boosting the local economy, opening up opportunities, and ensuring that everyone, whether they live, work, or visit here, can benefit from better connectivity.'
