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The new contracts span 27 towns and cities and are set to generate around 3,750 new jobs
Today, CityFibre has announced that it is has awarded £1.5 billion in full fibre construction contracts across 27 towns and cities. The finished fibre network will provide connectivity to around three million premises.
Back in June, CityFibre outlined a three-year plan to deliver 10,000 new UK jobs as part of the company’s plans to expand their full fibre network over the next three years. The altnet said they would work hard to recruit from the areas targeted for the rollout, helping to boost local economies, as well as trying to encourage women and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) individuals to join the industry, where they are currently grossly under-represented.
“By awarding these full fibre network construction contracts, we can ensure we have the construction resources we need to get the job done, bringing world-class digital infrastructure a step closer to millions across the UK,” said CityFibre CEO Greg Mesch (pictured). “Each contract represents hundreds of jobs and upskilling opportunities for local people, building the networks Britain needs to survive and to thrive in a digital age.”
This announcement represents the completion of the first phase of the company’s Accelerated Tender Awards Programme (ATAP), which sees 26 construction partners now under contract and ready to supply a total of five million premises in 66 towns and cities.
Phase two of the ATAP will now begin, aiming to deliver build contracts for a further three million premises.
The addition of the latest contracts brings CityFibre’s total investment into construction contracts for full fibre up to £2.5 billion since the Gigabit City Investment Programme began in 2018.
This announcement comes as music to the ears of the UK government, who are desperate to increase full fibre rollout across the country.
“It is our national mission to connect every corner of the country to lightning fast gigabit speeds and we’re set to spend a record £5billion to achieve this,” said Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden. "But we cannot do it alone so I welcome CityFibre’s substantial investment to plug millions of homes and businesses into the social and economic benefits of next-generation broadband and create thousands of jobs in the process.”
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